


Candle on the Water

by YvaJ



Category: Neko no Ongaeshi | The Cat Returns
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2014-06-19
Packaged: 2018-02-05 08:25:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 101,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1811806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YvaJ/pseuds/YvaJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Where did Baron Humbert von Gikkingen really come from?  Through a series of letters and occurances, Haru discovers the key to unlock the secrets of his past, which will open the door to her own future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Light in the Window

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written several years ago and in later chapters, Baron and Haru will have very significant roles here. Many new friends are joining the adventure and hopefully you will enjoy their presence in the story as well. Thank you for reading.

****

**Chapter 1: Light in a Window**  


Springtime had arrived, and with it a rain shower that would promise lush meadows and fragrant blossoms. Through it all, however, the small candle inside the red glass container remained in the front windowsill of the von Gikkingen manor.

It had been that way for the past five years.

The quaint white brick house was a modest abode with arched windows and a Victorian style essence. Set amongst rolling hills and the beautiful landscapes of the English countryside, it seemed an almost heavenly place to any onlooker.

Inside; the house told a vastly different tale.

Instead of the rooms being filled with light or engulfed with the sounds of laughter or music, the windows were covered by heavy wooden shutters and the place was completely still. Each of the rooms was literally consumed in darkness and the most dismal of the lot was the drawing room. In essence, the room had been transformed into a shrine, with only meager furnishings and the simple candle as its company.

This single object sat alone on the sill of the largest arched window in the room. Unlike the other windows in the house, this one was open with only a small trace of light filtering in.

The light seemed reminiscent of that which a light house gives off; a single flame that was visible from some distance. Of course, no one ever murmured such words, as this light was, by no means, considered a beacon.

The furniture consisted of several dark mahogany colored pieces including a small table, wardrobe, and fireplace. The round wooden table and two red velvet covered chairs were placed against the wall furthest from the window bearing the candle.

In each of these sat the Baron and Baroness von Gikkingen. The couple sat stoically for some time, their stance unmoving, thus making them appear like statues. Even their clothing, which dated back some eighty plus years gave off the impression that they were part of a life-sized museum display.

Before the mysterious disappearance of their eldest son, Humbert, both the von Gikkingen Lord and Lady had been seen quite often in public. Many of the villagers could pick them out of a crowd because of their eccentric dress and manner. Beyond their appearances, the couple was considered to be the most down to earth of the British nobility.

With his light colored suit, graying blond hair, and merry disposition, Baron Michael von Gikkingen had a way about him that made even the smallest child gaze up at him in wonder and unabashed curiosity. His love of family and children made him an instant attraction to all, no matter their place in society or their age.

His wife, Rose, had been born a commoner. She was the daughter of teachers and through a deeply rooted love of learning, she had become something of a local legend. There were very few ladies who could walk down the road in old fashioned dresses or sit by the river telling stories as she had often done. To the locals, she was not the Baroness von Gikkingen, but instead a storyteller that everyone wished to claim as their best friend.

Today, they were a mere shadow of what they had once been. Their days of throwing parties and entertaining dignitaries was a now thing of the past. The manor sat still and quiet, with very few people entering or leaving.

Their retreat from society somehow did not stop the rumors from circulating. Very few were close enough to them to know the specifics of their lives. There was a great deal of speculation, but no one could speak with complete accuracy about what had transpired that day five years ago.

In the solace of their home, they rarely spoke of their shared grief. Instead their dialogues seemed centered on the struggles of day to day life.

As a crack of thunder could suddenly be heard throughout the confines of the manor, the baron ran his hand through his graying blond hair and exhaled slowly. “It's getting worse,” he remarked in an almost tired voice as he looked over at his wife. “I should perhaps ask Heinrich to close the shutters upstairs.”

“They were opened?” Rose asked.

“Yes, but only for a bit of fresh air,” he responded dully as he poured some milk into his tea and began to slowly stir it.

“Well, then he probably already closed it,” Rose said as she cast a glance towards the door leading out of the drawing room. “He's very observant about doing such things and generally does not need to be asked.”

“You’re right,” Michael said with a nod as he took a sip of the tea before returning his teacup to the matching saucer.

Several moments passed in silence as the couple sat sipping their tea.

This was soon shattered by the sounds of a crash and the painful cries of a cat.

“Steven is probably tormenting Minka again,” Rose said softly in reference to her grandson and the live-in housekeeper's cat. “The poor little thing.”

Michael nodded as he turned towards the door leading out into the corridor. He did not like the sounds he had just heard, and so he called out to their butler. “Heinrich?” 

Seconds later, a tall, thin man with curly graying hair appeared in the doorway, “M'lord, Mi'lady,” he addressed them each in turn, his voice laced in formal intonations. “What may I do for you?” He bowed slightly as he waited for one of them to respond.

“We're fine, but could you please go and check on the cat?” Michael asked. “That noise she made sounded a little a bit upsetting, and we don't want her to get hurt.”

“Perhaps it was the storm that frightened her,” Heinrich offered as a tiny girl rushed into the room with the cat in question wrapped protectively in her arms. In lieu of words, the child raced towards the wardrobe with the intention of closing herself and the cat inside.

After several moments, she spoke, her voice hushed as she addressed the cat. “It's okay, Minka, you’re safe now. I'll protect you.” Reaching the tall wooden structure, she carefully opened the door.

Instead of speaking to the child, both Michael and Rose simply watched her actions before exchanging concerned glances. They could both tell that she was frightened; her eyes were wide with fear and her hands were shaking like a leaf. Eventually, they turned and looked at Heinrich.

Before either of them could speak, the butler walked towards the wardrobe and pulled open the door to see the little girl hiding amidst the coats inside. Reaching for one of her hands, he calmly pulled her to her feet and spoke, his words laced in patience. “Madeline, what is it sweetheart?” When she did not respond, he began to gently scold the child. “You know that I have told you before that you are not to come in here and disturb the baron and baroness during tea time.”

“I-I'm sorry, Grandpa,” She managed to speak as she shook her head before glancing over and acknowledging the Lord and Lady of the manor. After offering a slight nod, she lowered the cat to the floor and watched as it fled from the room.

As the child watched the cat go, she raised her head slowly and regarded her grandfather’s employers. Next, she pulled her hands out of her grandfather's hold and started to back hesitantly towards the door leading out of the room. “Minka and I are really s-sorry,” she managed to speak as she offered a nervous curtsy to the baron and baroness.

“Neither of you have any reason to apologize, little one,” Rose said smiling gently at the scared child. Before she could stop herself, an idea buzzed around in her head, which she immediately voiced. “How would you like a cup of hot chocolate? I used to be quite good at making it.”

The child shook her head at the offer. “No, Ma'am, but t-thank you,” she whispered politely before looking up at Heinrich. “Grandpa, he's trying to hurt Minka again,” she whimpered softly. “I found her just now with a large pan tied to her tail.”

“Who is ‘he’?” Michael abruptly asked.

The child shook her head and without another word, she raced out of the room without so much as turning around or looking back.

Once she was gone, Michael looked at the butler. “Would you mind telling us what that was all about? Who was the 'he' that she was referring to?”

Heinrich took a deep breath. “I'm afraid she was referring to your grandson,” he confessed.

“Steven should know better than to bring harm to a cat,” Rose said sadly.

Heinrich took a deep breath as he regarded the couple seated in the red velvet chairs. “Perhaps it would be wrong of me to say so, but he has not only brought harm to the cat, I have reason to believe that he's also been beating up my granddaughter. I've seen bruises all over her arms, and I have been trying every home cure I can think of to relieve her pain.”

“How long were you going to wait to tell us this?” Michael asked sternly.

“I did not intend on bothering you with our problems, but this has been going on quite some time now. Everyday Madeline has been coming to dinner with some injury or another, and now I fear that perhaps I ought to send her to my sister's the next time her school recesses.”

“Why does Ian condone his son tormenting cats and beating up little girls?” Rose asked softly. “We never encouraged such behavior when he was growing up.”

“Perhaps not, M'lady,” Heinrich said sadly. “It does not alter the fact that it has been happening.”

Michael took a deep breath and released it slowly as he spoke. “He's right, Love. Perhaps we must accept that we are partially to blame for this.”

“What do you mean?” Rose asked, overt hurt etched in her question. She had always prided herself on being a good mother, and this hit her much harder than she was willing to admit. Instead of saying so, she took a deep breath and waited for Michael to clarify what he had just said.

“It is rather simple, my dearest; Ian is not Humbert. We cannot expect him to behave as Humbert would.”

Rose nodded indignantly, but abruptly stood up. “Perhaps not, but we did raise both of our sons with some semblance of honor and integrity, and those traits are obviously not being passed on to Ian's son.”

“What do you intend to do?” Michael asked, his head raising to meet his wife’s determined gaze.

“I intend to put an end to these bully tactics once and for all. First, I'm going to see if I can find Madeline and then I intend to have a little talk with Steven.” Motioning towards the chair, she spoke to the butler. “Why don't you sit down for a moment, Heinrich? You look positively exhausted.”

“M'lady, I will be fine,” the butler said softly. Before he could continue speaking, the baroness had left the room.

As she made her way along the corridor, she smiled slightly when she heard her husband addressing Heinrich yet again.

“How many times must we insist that we wish for you to call us 'Michael' and 'Rose'?” Instead of waiting to hear Heinrich's response, Rose made her way in the direction that she thought the child might have gone in. She was more than determined to find the little girl.

~~~~~

Back inside the drawing room, Heinrich was staring at his employer with a somewhat sheepish look shadowing his aged face. “To answer your inquiry, Sir, perhaps the reason I address you so formally is because it is not acceptable for one such as I to address you by your given names. You are nobility, and I am a common butler.” He paused. “Forgive me, M'lord.”

Michel nodded. “It would seem that we have had this conversation many times before.” A slight smile crossed his face as he regarded the older man. “I harbor no ill towards you for that.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Heinrich said smiling slightly. “I feel I must also request that you please forgive my granddaughter for her having interrupted your afternoon tea.”

“There is no reason for you to apologize for that. It is, as Rose said, of no inconvenience to us,” Michael responded. “I believe your granddaughter has shown us that she is, indeed, a very kindhearted child. To take the well being of a cat under consideration affirms that assertion tenfold.”

“Yes Sir,” Heinrich said, his voice laced with pride. “Perhaps she does take after my daughter in that regard.”

Michael nodded as he reached for the cup and took a sip of tea. “I never met your daughter, so I cannot say, but your granddaughter is delightful. I suppose it is rather nice for you to have her here.”

In response to this, Heinrich smiled and his blue eyes brightened considerably as he regarded the baron. “Yes, I do love her dearly, Sir. She is such a special and imaginative child. It is for that reason that it breaks me up to have to send her to my sister.”

“Well, perhaps we can put a stop to Steven's abuses so that she could continue to spend her holidays here,” Michael said.

“That would be nice, Sir,” Heinrich responded with traces of relief in his aged face. After several moments, a smile broke through followed by a slight chuckle.

Michael looked at him. “What is so amusing?”

“I was just recalling something that happened recently,” Heinrich said. “Did I ever tell you that Madeline once told me that she has carried on conversations with Eleanor's cat?”

The baron shook his head, a slight smile breaking through his sadness.

Heinrich nodded. “She told me this some time ago, but I believe that perhaps that is why she is so protective of Minka.” A pause. “Perhaps I would be too if I could speak with cats.”

Michael rubbed his chin and nodded. “I have actually heard tell of those who can communicate with animals.” He paused and taking a deep breath, continued speaking. “It's strange that you would mention this because during his youth, Humbert told me that he was able to do so as well. Of course, neither Rose nor myself could, so we pondered where our son might have gotten this talent from. At any rate; the day he finally told us about it was the day he came home late from school. He said that he had stopped off to have a chat with Farmer Perkins' cat. Through the years that followed, he would share several of these dialogues with me. I must admit that, for the most part, I found them to be rather amusing.” He looked at Heinrich. “Do you think it's possible for a cat to talk?”

“Perhaps,” Heinrich responded. “Or perhaps it is merely a wonderful way for children to understand and utilize their fantasies. I still cannot forget the day when Madeline told me about it. It was just after she had gotten a bad result on a spelling test. I asked her about why her grade was so low and she just looked at me and said 'life is hard'. I then asked where she had heard that and she said that her neighbor's cat told her.”

As the two men momentarily grew silent, Michael lowered his cup and regarded the butler through tired eyes. “Would you mind terribly if I asked you to sit down, I am getting a crick in my neck from looking up at you.”

Heinrich nodded as he came over and lowered himself into the chair that Rose had occupied earlier. Once he was comfortable, he began to rub his wrinkled hands together. “My apologies, Sir.”

Michael nodded as he cast a glance over towards the candle in the window. Talking about his missing son made him very unhappy, but on that particular anniversary, it bordered on unbearable. Inhaling slowly, he looked at the older man. “Heinrich, you do know that today marks exactly five years since Humbert's disappearance, don't you?”

“I thought it was coming up this month, but I couldn't recall the specific date,” Heinrich whispered. “I'm sorry.”

The baron nodded understandably as he rubbed his hands together and looked at the old man. Inhaling slowly, he spoke, his voice a fraction softer. “You know, try as I might, I simply cannot accept what Ian said about Humbert choosing to end his life. It is simply not a part of Humbert's character to try and escape his problems.” He rubbed his hands together silently as his next words emerged. “I think my older son is alive somewhere. The problem is, as long as I have no proof to back up that assertion, I can do nothing.”

“Have you not found any leads as to where he might possibly have gone?” Heinrich asked.

It was no secret that the butler was as curious about this as Michael and Rose were. He had known and liked Humbert quite well and to his way of thinking, it was not like him to choose suicide over life. Of all the von Gikkingens, Heinrich had managed to acclimate himself to addressing the eldest son by his given name.

_I would never have said this to Baron von Gikkingen, but I think he's right and Humbert is still alive somewhere. No matter what anyone says, he is the rightful heir to the title. Not only because he is older, but also for the simple reason that he would never have consented to his sons or daughters bullying a tiny child like Madeline or bringing harm to a defenseless cat like Minka._

As his thoughts continued to drift, Heinrich glanced over towards the window where the candle stood.

Upon the news of Humbert's mysterious disappearance, the butler had helped to maintain the small flickering light that reminded them of the dynamic individual they had lost.

After some moments, Michael's voice broke into his contemplations as he responded to the older man's question. “No leads yet, but it doesn't stop me from hoping.” Clasping his hands together, he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. “I know it sounds strange, but at this point, I think I would take any lead, no matter how crazy or dim-witted it may seem.”

Heinrich nodded, as his employer's next question emerged. “Do you remember how Humbert and Ian were when they were children?”

“Yes, I do,” Heinrich said with a confirming nod. “Humbert was always so kind and considerate. I recall the day I twisted my ankle, and he brought me a cup of tea. 'It is my own special blend, so I cannot guarantee the flavor', he had said calmly. This kind gesture made me feel quite a bit better.”

“I remember that,” Michael said smiling. “That was just one of the many ways he was creative. He was always trying to find out new ways of doing things. That is, when he wasn't sitting alone and drawing pictures.”

Reaching into the pocket of his jacket, he extracted an old, crumpled up piece of paper. The edges were worn yellow with age, thus depicting that it had lived in the recesses of Michael's pocket for many years.

Quietly, he unfolded it before turning it around so that the butler could see the drawing that graced the page.

When Heinrich was finally able to focus on it, what he saw was a penciled drawing of an intricate looking A-frame house. The lower part of it was covered with bricks that resembled cobblestone. The top half was white with aquamarine colored trim. In front of it and on one side was a lamppost with a bench just beneath a window. On the other, a tiny American style mailbox. The arched windows were yellow, as though light was filtering out from inside. These were placed on either side of the double doors that were in the center of the structure.

Heinrich stared for several moments at the drawing before looking at his boss. “He was a remarkable artist.”

“Yes, he was,” Michael said as he folded the drawing and returned it to his pocket. As he finished, he raised his head and looked over at Heinrich. “Tell me truthfully, do you have any such fond memories of Ian as a child?”

“No, Sir, I'm sorry to say that I don't,” he responded, his words laced in regret. “Perhaps it was merely because it was much harder for me to get to know him. After all, he always considered me to be a peasant and his own son has clearly been raised with a similar toxic disposition.”

“You know that if Humbert is never found; Ian will ultimately become the next Baron von Gikkingen. There will be no way to stop this inevitable circumstance from playing out. The line of my family demands it.”

“Perhaps you are right, Sir, and I ask that you forgive me for my honesty, but I do not see anyone but Humbert being the next in line for the title.”

“I know what you mean,” Michael said with a sad smile. “Strange how you have always made mention of my son as 'Humbert' and not referred to him with any sort of title or formal address.”

Heinrich took a deep breath. “Perhaps it was wrong of me, but when he was still a teenager, Humbert asked me to speak informally with him and it was much easier for me to comply with him since he was still a young man.”

Michael nodded. “I realize that it is perhaps not wise for any parent to have a favorite son; but with Humbert, it was so easy. Perhaps our expectations of being more like his brother did more damage to Ian than I could have anticipated.”

“It was never your fault, Sir,” Heinrich said softly.

“I fear that it was,” Michael said. He cast a weary glance towards the candle and spoke, his next words emerging softer than usual as his hand rested against the pocket, which held the drawing. “Humbert von Gikkingen, where in the world are you?”


	2. Cain and Abel

**Chapter 2: Cain and Abel**

Beyond the drawing room door, Ian von Gikkingen stood and listened to the dialogue taking place inside.

His father was once again talking to the butler about the issues of their family, which he felt was a disgrace. Deep down inside, he could feel the deeply rooted anger building up as he thought about the lack of trust his father bestowed upon him.

_It's Humbert again,_ he thought angrily. _Even after five years have passed, my idiot brother is still the center of everyone's attention and Father can't just leave it be. Now he's going out of his way to show that he trusts the hired help more than me._

The younger von Gikkingen had known for a long time that his father refused to accept the story he had told about his brother being dead. That was old news, which Ian believed posed very little risk to him.

That had been the case for the past five years, but now he could tell that things were starting to change.

He bit down on his lower lip, but continued to listen as his father told to the butler that he had written several dozen letters to many of Humbert's friends. It was clear that the baron remained hopeful that these people would assist him in understanding his son's reasons for having left.

A scowl covered his lips as these thoughts continued to frantically whirl about in his head. _Why does he doubt what I told him?_ He asked himself. _I pulled out all the stops with that concocted story. I even rehearsed it again and again before telling them. It had worked like a charm because I managed to reduce Mother to tears. Why would Father believe otherwise? Why would he question me, his only remaining son?_ Ian's expression darkened considerably as the final question drifted through his mind. _What if Father manages to uncover the truth?_

Worried, he ran his hand through his dark colored hair, and tried without much success at calculating what he would do next.

_I always figured that after Humbert was out of the picture, they would forget about him. Maybe I should have killed him when I had the chance._

He leaned closer to the door, all the while trying to decipher what was being said inside the room. After several moments had passed, he raised his head to see that his ten-year-old son, Steven, was approaching from the other end of the hallway.

The boy was dressed casually and carrying a ball of twine in his fist. “Hey Dad,” he called out before reaching where Ian was standing. Once he had gotten close enough, he casually nudged against his father’s side.

“Shush!” Ian snapped as his hands balled up into two matching fists.

Silence filled the hallway as the butler and his father's words abruptly ceased.

Cursing under his breath, Ian left the doorway and started to make his way down the hall with the boy doggedly following.

After walking about ten meters, he abruptly stopped and turned around. Seeing no one in the vicinity, he figured that it was now safe for him to speak. “You should know better than that, knucklehead.” he snapped as he slapped the back of the boy's head.

“Ow!” the boy shouted rudely as he raised his own fist with the intentions of hitting his father back.

Ian immediately noticed this and his lips meshed into a thin line. “Do it and you'll wish you were never born,” he snapped.

The boy's aggressive fist lowered as he looked at his father indignantly. “How was I supposed to know that you were listening in on Grandfather again? You always said that he was a senile old man.”

“That may be, but that old man stands in the way of me getting what I want and if I have to do a bit of eavesdropping to find out something important, than so be it,” Ian said. He looked into his son's matching blue eyes before continuing. “That means, when I am standing in a doorway like that; I may be picking up on something important. These are things that affect us both, Steven. Based on what I heard this time, it could make or break us.”

“Okay, so, what did you hear?” Steven asked with a rude snicker. “Is grandfather finally leaving this dark and dismal house?”

“No, but, he seems to be getting a bit wiser in his old age,” Ian said in hushed tones.

“What do you mean?” Steven asked.

“Your grandfather doesn't believe the story about Humbert being dead.”

“Isn’t he?” The boy asked. “I mean that's what you kept saying, right?”

“No, he's not dead,” Ian said as he took a deep breath. He leaned towards his son and spoke, his voice lowering to a conspirator’s whisper. “My father thinks he will be able to go and find him, but he never will. If he so much as tries, he'll run straight into a brick wall. If worse comes to worse, I will get in touch with my friends in the Cat Kingdom, just as I did before and have them take care of him. I can make him disappear just like I did with Humbert.”

“I don't follow,” the boy said.

“You don't have to follow,” Ian said mockingly.

“Come on, Dad, just tell me what you did.” 

Ian took a deep breath, as a conniving smile stretched across his face. “The lesson for you in all this is to have friends in high places. That way, if you get into any scrapes, then you can use those contacts to your advantage.”

“Okay fine, but aren't you gonna tell me how you got rid of him?” The boy asked. When Ian did not initially respond, Steven continued, his voice a soft plea. “Come on, I mean; it’s not like I’m gonna go blabbing it around the house. Everyone here hates us, anyway.”

Ian frowned, but recognizing the truth in his son's words, he took a deep breath and began to speak. “Alright, if you insist on knowing, I’ll tell you what really happened. I went and made a pretty sweet deal with the Cat King.”

“The Cat King?” Steven asked.

“Yeah, Humbert was not the only von Gikkingen who could speak to cats in their language,” Ian said smugly. “The only reason no one else figured on me doing it was because they were not interested.” As he spoke, an overconfident smile touched his lips. “Their loss is my gain.”

“So what?” the boy shot back. “You’ve already told me that you can talk to cats, but how can I use that to my advantage if I can't?”

“Do you want me to tell you what happened, or not?” Ian asked.

“Okay, what sort of deal did you make?”

“It was really quite easy, actually,” Ian said as though warming up to the subject. “I would replenish their lake with even more trout than what Renaldo Moon ate. In return, the Cat King would use his magic to rid me of my ‘oh so perfect’ brother. After I managed to deliver the fish, I told the king to use his magic to turn Humbert into a cat with no memory of his former life. This would have instantly made him into one of the Cat King’s minions. Well, the king initially claimed that he couldn’t turn him into a cat, since Humbert had never been to the Kingdom of Cats before. Since we both knew that my brother would never have agreed to go there, the Cat King gave me a magic potion that would transform him into a cat shaped figurine. I waited until your grandparents had gone on a trip and then snuck into the kitchen and poured it in his tea. Once the spell was cast, I found my brother on the drawing room floor, put him in a box, and mailed him to an antique shop in Tokyo. No one was the wiser and I was rid of him once and for all.”

“But, you’re still worried,” the boy said matter-of-factly. He raised his head and looked up at his father, but when Ian did not respond, he continued. “That’s why you’ve been listening in, to see if Grandfather managed to find out what you did, right?”

“There is no feasible way he could find out,” Ian said with feigned confidence. “First of all, your grandfather is a rather rational thinking person, and he would be the first to argue that the Cat King does not exist. Even if he did believe it, there is no way he would accept the notion of his son being turned into an inanimate object. His logic is the stake in his coffin.” A pause. “The point is, if my father is foolish enough to actually go to Japan to look, then he would spend the rest of his life trying to find the right cat figurine. It would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.”

“Then why don't we just tell him and then Grandfather would leave, and we'd have the place to ourselves?” The boy asked.

“We can't do that,” Ian said. “After all, if I'm going to be the next Baron von Gikkingen, then the old man will have to hear it from someone else.”

“Maybe I could tell him,” Steven offered.

“And implicate me?” Ian snapped, his voice indicative that his initial worries had once again returned. “Listen, before you go and shoot off your mouth to anyone, keep in mind that you are still second in line for the title. If you are going to follow in my footsteps and become a baron, then you need to watch everything you say and do.”

“So what are we gonna do?” Steven asked.

“We have to bide our time,” Ian said. “Once I become the next Baron von Gikkigen, then it won’t matter what my father knows or doesn’t know. One thing is a given; when I obtain the title, I will hire a staff that knows their place. The stupidest thing my parents ever did was to hire this group of losers and then treat them like they were their best friends.”

Steven nodded obediently as he took in the smirk that now lined his father's face. “Oh I'll make sure they know that alright. In fact, I know exactly where I'll start,” he said evilly. _Specifically with Heinrich's bratty good for nothing granddaughter._

As the two of them reached the stairs and started their ascent, Minka emerged from the shadows. Her wide yellow eyes were staring at their retreating backs as she held a trembling paw over her mouth.

_King Lune would never approve of any of this,_ she thought fearfully. _I have to tell his Majesty everything I heard. Before I can even do that, I have to let the baron and baroness know that their son is alive._

The tiny cat continued to contemplate her options as she walked with graceful steps in the direction of the kitchen. Reaching the door, the realism hit her. _How can I inform them of anything if they cannot understand me?_

Suddenly, an idea hit her and she raced down the hall in the direction of the servants’ quarters. She would find help amongst the people who worked for the good baron and baroness…at least she hoped.

~~~~~

Unbeknownst of the drama occurring a half a world away, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen slowly opened his eyes. All was quiet in the peaceful confines of the small A-frame house where he resided.

Dusk had fallen on the Refuge and within seconds he felt the magical energy filling his being and waking him up. As the light danced across his arms, he allowed his eyes to open and close several times before taking in the room around him. Seeing that it was exactly as he had left it, he then cast a fleeting glance outside.

As usual, the courtyard was quiet except for the sounds of Muta, who had returned from his daily trek to the crossroads. He was now seated comfortably on the bench outside the Bureau’s front door. His oversized paws were holding the paper open and his eyes were dancing across the page.

Harsh and abrasive seemed to be Muta’s forte, but Baron knew that he was a good friend, and one who could be counted on. His brand of loyalty had been proven true on more than one occasion. The cat creation felt a slight smile touch his lips as he pondered how unsavory such flattering words were to the fat cat.

Regardless, the time Baron now had would be a welcomed opportunity for him to focus on some much needed work. The Bureau’s rooms were in need of cleaning and he figured that this would be the ideal time to get it done.

Sighing, he turned away from the window before placing his top hat on his head. _I will leave Muta alone with his newspaper,_ he thought as he allowed his arms to stretch above his head. As he did this, he could feel the cane swinging out to one side as he tried to get some circulation back into his arms. Moments passed before he lowered them again and backed away from the arched window.

He then walked over to the desk where his favorite teapot was generally placed. It was time to make some of his special blend of tea before setting about to the chores that needed his attention.

Running the Cat Bureau was sometimes a thankless job, but it was one that kept him busy. Getting involved in the problems of others was a far cry easier than sitting around focusing on his own. Of course, the clients did break the monotony of his always standing and staring out the front window.

He set the water to heat and leaving it momentarily, he opted to making himself comfortable. This meant removing his suit jacket and hat and hanging them on the nearby rack. The black cane he always carried was hung next to them within reach.

As he brushed his hand over the suit jacket, he glanced towards the Victorian style calendar, which hung to the left of the coat rack on a fancy hook. Baron was not one who focused much energy on the passage of time, but instead, he lived for the moment.

How could he do otherwise, when his own past was that, which he knew so very little about? Up until the time when he had found the Cat Bureau, his life had consisted of hazy memories and a jigsaw puzzle of thoughts and emotions. He could not remember anything beyond his belief that he was a Creation with a soul, and Muta and Toto were his only family.

Reaching a gloved hand over, he touched the calendar page, the numbers indicating that exactly a year had passed since he had taken one of his more memorable cases.

_Had it really been that long since my initial meeting with Haru Yoshioka?_ He pondered as he inhaled slowly.

It did not seem that long ago to the Creation, but the truth was staring back at him, and calendars do not lie. That much time had, in fact, passed since he had assisted her in escaping from the Cat King and his off the wall proposal. It also meant that it had been that long since they had said good-bye.

Thinking back, he could not help but recall how accurate Toto had been when he had said that Baron received very few guests. For the most part, the Refuge’s courtyard remained void of any Cat Bureau clients, with not even lost kittens seeking their assistance.

It was a lonely sort of existence, but not one that would result in complaints. This was out of character for the Creation, who carried himself in a refined and distanced state, which bordered somewhere between polite and aristocratic. Baron had, thusly, resolved himself to never getting personally involved with the emotions of others. This essentially meant that he would always maintain an air of professionalism in his dealings with Cat Bureau clients.

Of course, as even more time had passed, he had quickly realized that whether he liked it or not, he was already involved. There existed no feasible way for him to interact with others, whether they be human or feline, without somehow being affected by them.

Haru’s presence had proven this assertion tenfold. The young lady was a far cry braver than she believed and that courage was demonstrated throughout their adventure together. She had told him that some of her experiences had been fun and from looking into her eyes, he detected a sparkle present in them. This somehow made Baron want to believe that that was, in part, because of him.

As the water began to boil, he went over to prepare his tea.

Reaching into the cupboard for a cup and saucer, a fond smile covered his furry lips as he recalled how Haru described the cup as ‘cute’. He remembered her enthusiasm and how she had smiled brightly upon tasting the blend. Her pinky finger had even been extended as though she was taking tea with the most distinguished of ladies.

_She had been more elegant and graceful than she, herself, believed,_ he thought with a smile. Of course it had been that way from the first moment he had met her. There was something quite special about this young lady, but he could not put his finger on what that was.

_Do you love her?_ He asked himself as he poured some of his, now ready, tea into a cup and added a generous amount of milk. With the teacup in hand, he went over and seated himself in his favorite chair.

_I do care for her._ His thoughts continued to drift lackadaisically as he took a sip of the tea.

Deep down inside, Baron knew that he was lying to himself for the simple reason that he cared for everyone who happened to step through his front door. Loving someone and caring for them were two distinctively different things. However, he had been cursed with an unwillingness to speak to her of his affections.

Just before they had said farewell, she had told him that she had a crush on him. Baron had smiled and gently brushed it off before returning to the Refuge. Later, he wondered if she had realized that his feelings had completely paralleled her own. _Could she hear how my heart was beating out of control?_ He asked himself as his thoughts drifted back to the moment when he had picked her up in his arms and carried her up the tower steps.

_Did she know that her touch made it hard for me to breathe? Did she realize that I had responded with a hasty ‘don’t worry’ because I was undeniably attracted to her? Even with those simple truths, how could I feel such things for her when she is a human and I am obviously not?_  
Exhaling slowly, he shifted his weight in the chair, being especially careful not to sit falsely on his tail. He did that once, and it had proven quite painful.

_Do you love her?_ The question repeated itself in his mind as he sipped the tea. This time the words carried an element of insistence.

_Yes, I believe I do._ He nodded without vocalizing the words. Sighing, he glanced down at his lap as his contemplations wrecked havoc on him. The truth was blatantly obvious, and that was that he and the young lady were too different for that sort of relationship.

It was for that reason alone that Baron was thoroughly convinced that they would never share anything that extended beyond a platonic friendship.

_There is no magic in the world that would change that fact,_ he concluded sadly.

Yet, regardless of all of his logical deductions about Haru; the Creation could not help but ask himself if he would one day see her again.

_I did tell her that the Cat Bureau’s doors would always be open to her, but I wonder if she would ever consider returning. Would it be feasible for me to help her as I did before? And for that matter; would she ever need it, or me?_

Baron did not consciously know the answer to any of these questions, nor did he feel himself too terribly inclined to discuss them with his two best friends. Instead, he silently finished his tea and stood up. The cup he left on the small table before making his way over to a group of shelves. It was time to stop daydreaming and start concentrating on the work he had been putting off.

Reaching inside a drawer, he pulled out a soft cloth. This, he would use to dust along the various shelves. After working for about ten minutes, he suddenly heard the sounds of Toto awakening from beyond the front door. A quick glance towards the window affirmed that the gargoyle statue of the crow was now awake.

This was compounded when he soon heard shouts of ‘bird brain’ and ‘idiot’ filling his triangular shaped ears.

Muta and Toto’s next argument had started.

Now, regardless of the questions that continued to wreck havoc on his mind, Baron knew that there was far too much for him to do. Aside from that, it was rather pointless for him to contemplate something that had not even happened. 

Yet, regardless of this, his thoughts continued to drift back to the fetching brunette who had visited him exactly one year ago that night.


	3. The Pen Friendship

**Chapter 3: The Pen Friendship**

Haru Yoshioka made her way along the street that would lead her home from school. The day had been like any normal April day, complete with a mid-morning rain shower that would grant enough humidity so that her clothes would stick to her skin uncomfortably.

The young woman was in her last year of school, and soon the red bow and blue school uniform would be retired once and for all. Now, less than two weeks shy of her nineteenth birthday, Haru still felt as though she was a woman, even though she possessed the whims and impulses of a teenager.

She brushed her hand lightly across the bow at the neck of her school uniform. This simple action would keep the thin red fabric from wafting about in the springtime breeze.

She was free for the next two weeks, but this would be her last real break from responsibility, before going back and completing her final semester of school before graduation.

Graduation – the word meant that she would become an adult, even though, legally, she already was one. Soon, she would be able to do the things that adults normally did, but the prospect of that seemed daunting at best. It was no secret that she had rather enjoyed her years of few responsibilities and minimal worries.

Of course, Haru was completely undecided about what course of study she wanted to pursue. She figured that the university was her only option. At least, that was what everyone else had been telling her.

It was the opinion of her mother as well as many of her teachers that she needed to make some hard decisions; and quickly. Time was running out, and she needed to get her applications in by the first of May.

Her guidance counselor at school had told her that her academic strengths rested in Chemistry and Physics, but Haru was not really certain that she wanted to pursue natural sciences at all.

She knew that she loved art as well as music and foreign languages. Of course, she could not see herself adapting to the same struggles her quilting mother dealt with on a daily basis. Music, like art, seemed more like a hobby than a career path. Finally, the thought of trying to master the three different languages that were required for translating seemed rather insurmountable. Haru was doing relatively well with learning the English language, although her grammar was far from perfect and her ability to read cursive writing almost nonexistent.

So, the question as to what she would do after graduation remained. The more she contemplated it, the more exasperated she became.

To make matters worse, her best friend, Hiromi had already decided back in February what she wanted to do. She had even applied early, and was already accepted in one of Tokyo's leading nursing programs. Even her boyfriend, Tsuge, already had plans. He had gotten a scholarship for his table tennis skills and was planning to study physical education while training for the Olympics.

The more Haru thought about them, the more depressed she became. _Everyone knows what they want to do, and I still have no idea._

As she reached the street, where she and her mother lived, a masculine voice called out her name.

“Haru!”

Stopping, she slowly turned around to see one of her classmates coming up the street. It was Machida, a boy she had once had a huge crush on. She stopped walking and waited for him to catch up. She had long since gotten over him and moved on, but much to her surprise, instead of a relationship, they had actually become platonic friends.

She smiled. “Hey Machida, what's up?”

“Nothing much,” he said as he ran one hand through his dark hair, while extending a small pamphlet to her with the other. “You dropped this in the hall at school and I thought that maybe it was important.” As she accepted it, he smirked. “Chemistry, huh?”

“It's not really my idea,” Haru said with a casual shrug of her shoulders. “I guess after that last Chemistry test, everybody suddenly thought that I had the potential to become the next Marie Curie.”

“Who?” Machida looked at her, his expression laced in confusion.

Haru giggled upon seeing this, but once her laughter had died away, she offered clarification. “Marie Curie was a famous chemist and the first woman to win the Nobel Prize. Don't you pay attention in class?”

“Not really,” he said with a grin, but his cheeks flushed slightly nonetheless. “I'm more into history and sports than Chemistry, you know that.” As his embarrassment vanished, his eyes brightened as his next words emerged. “Speaking of which, did I tell you I got accepted at the University of Tokyo to study history? I just got my acceptance letter last night. My dad was ready to call the papers and make a formal announcement about it, too.” He laughed, but noticing her unhappy face, he realized how hollow it sounded and stopped. “Still undecided, huh?”

“Yeah,” she confessed with an unhappy nod. “It seems like everyone knows what they want to do and I don't.”

“Don't worry, you’ve still got time,” he said encouragingly.

“No I don't,” she said with a solemn shake of her head. “I know you're trying to help, Machida, but 'time' is something I simply don't have much of.”

“Well, maybe you'll figure something out during the break,” he said. “A lot can happen in two weeks.”

“True, but let's face it, either I'm going to find something great or manage to confuse myself even more.” Taking a deep breath, she opted to changing the subject. “So, what are you doing for the next two weeks?”

“I'm going to visit my aunt and uncle in Singapore, my flight leaves first thing tomorrow morning,” he said. “And you?”

“No great adventures planned, but I'm thinking about going downtown tomorrow to catch a movie, and maybe do some shopping. My mother's leaving for a quilting seminar tonight, so she'll be gone for a week and that will give me some time to get some art supplies and maybe get inspired to paint something.”

“You're so lucky,” he said. “I'd love to just stay home and have the house all to myself.” He glanced down at his watch. “Oh crap, it's nearly four and I promised my dad I'd get home as soon as school let out and start packing for my trip. He's going to kill me if I haven't started by the time he gets home from work.”

“Then you'd better get going, and have a good time, If you get a chance, send me a postcard,” she said smiling.

“Okay, see you later, Haru, and good luck with you know what,” he said winking just before dashing off.

_I'm going to need it,_ she thought as she watched Machida round the corner at the end of the street and disappear in the distance. Once he was gone, she started to walk in the direction of home as her thoughts continued to drift. _He has it so good. I wish I could get on a plane and go somewhere. Ever since that time I spent in the Cat Kingdom, my life has been dull bordering on mundane._

By this time, she reached the gate that led into her and her mother's small front yard. Smiling, she recalled the day the yard had been filled to capacity with cattails and how it had taken her and her mother two weeks to get rid of them. As she got lost in her memories, she fished the keys from her school bag and made her way up to the small porch. Before unlocking the front door, she stuck the smaller key in the mailbox lock and turned it before pulling out the mail.

Normally, it was filled with free newspapers, and 'resident' type letters. Today, there was actually legitimate mail resting inside. Of course, it was all addressed to her mother. _Oh well, this will probably make her happy,_ Haru thought as she looked down at the colorful cover of her mother's favorite quilting magazine. Flipping through the rest of it, she stopped momentarily as she discovered a strange white envelope with her mother's name and address printed on it in roman lettering.

This struck her as being strange since the words appeared to have been typed from an old fashioned style typewriter instead of by a computer. Turning it over several times, Haru began searching for a return address. Finding none, she studied the stamp a bit closer to discover that the letter's origins was the United Kingdom.

Taking a deep breath, she dumped the mail into her satchel before closing and locking the mailbox. She then unlocked the front door.

As soon as she swung it open and entered, she kicked off her shoes and called out to her mother. “I'm home.”

“I'm in here,” Naoko Yoshioka called out and Haru carefully walked the length of the hallway and stopped at the doorway that led into the living room.

As usual, the floor was covered with quilting pieces and her mother sat with her hand contemplatively brushing against her mouth.

“Same problem, Mom?” Haru asked as she looked down at the different colors of cloth scattered across the floor.

“Yes, can you fix dinner tonight?” Naoko asked. “I'm due at the airport by seven. If all goes as planned, my flight should leave at eight forty five.”

“Sure, Mom, no problem,” Haru said. “Are you packed?”

“That was the easy part.” the redhead said as she got to her feet and dusted herself off. “I didn't even think about going and getting food today. All I could concentrate on was this presentation, and right now, it's in pieces.” She paused as she looked at her daughter. “Did you get the mail?”

“Yeah, you got a magazine, the usual array of bills and something else that looks ten-years-old with no return address,” Haru said as she pulled the mail from the satchel and handed the entire stack to her mother.

“No return address?” Naoko asked as she flipped through the mail until she found the letter in question. She put the rest of the mail on the sofa before looking down at object resting in her hand.

Opening it, she carefully pulled the single page out. As she unfolded the letter and began to read, her eyes widened. “This is strange,” she said once she had finished reading and lowered the single page.

“What?” Haru asked. “What is it?”

“It's from the family of one of my former pen pals,” Naoko said.

“You had pen pals?” Haru asked. “I didn't know that.”

“Well, it started about fifteen years ago when I was taking night classes and trying to get my seamstress training done. You were about five at the time I had started writing letters to a boy in England,” Naoko confessed.

“You had a pen pal in England?” Haru asked.

“Yes, for some reason, he wanted learn some Japanese and I wanted to improve my English,” she said. “He was much younger than me, and I figured that it would be a lot more fun to write letters than to just sit in a classroom day after day trying to conjugate verbs.”

“So there was no romance or love interest there?” Haru asked as she nudged her mother playfully.

“No, it was never anything like that, Haru. Besides, I was probably old enough to be his mother. That is not hardly the ingredients for a blossoming romance,” Naoko smiled slightly as she shrugged her shoulders. “To me, he was just a kid who was helping me learn his language and I was helping him learn mine.”

“So, what happened, why did you guys stop writing to each other?” Haru asked. There was no question in the teenager's mind; this unknown factoid about her mother’s past completely intrigued her.

“I don't really know what happened, I guess as more time passed, we slowly drifted apart. One day the letters abruptly stopped and I guess we both just moved on. At the time, I figured that I was probably boring to him.” As she spoke, she bowed her head towards the piece of paper still resting in her hands. “This letter is from his parents. I guess they're trying to get in touch with all of his friends, but I don't understand why they would wait so long to do so.”

“Why?” Haru asked. When she noticed her mother's unhappy expression, she inhaled slowly as her next question emerged. “Isn't it nice?”

“Yes, but the news contained in this letter isn't,” Naoko said sadly as she began to read the letter aloud.  
~~~~~  
 **Dear Naoko,**

**I am writing to you on behalf of my son, Humbert. This letter is intended to ask you for your assistance and nothing more. I know that you and my son exchanged a great many letters during his youth, and for that I appreciate the friendship that you bestowed upon him.**

**I understand that your pen friendship is a thing of the past and you have, no doubt, moved on with your life. However, I feel that I must contact you and let you know that something has happened that no parent would ever wish to experience or face.**

**My son was only twenty-four- years-old when he disappeared. This April will mark five years since that fateful day. His younger brother has insisted that he is dead, but I do not believe it. The reason; although only a year separates them in age, my younger son has always resented his brother. It is for that reason that I am seeking the assistance of Humbert's friends and contacts.**

**Perhaps you or someone you know might have seen him. He has always been deeply fascinated with Japan and Japanese culture. Perhaps your friendship with him inspired him to journey there. At any rate, I would be very grateful to you if you could inform us if you have any idea as to where he might have gone. We are reachable through regular mail as well as through electronic means.**

**Please help us find our son.**  
~~~~~  
Naoko stopped reading at that moment because the tears were streaming freely down her cheeks. “I always knew that Humbert and his brother never got along, so this must be valid. Only someone who knows him well would be aware of that fact.”

“Yeah, but Mom, how could someone just disappear like that?”

“I don’t really know, but deep down inside, I cannot doubt what his father said here.” As she was speaking, she solemnly cradled the letter. “Contacting his friends is probably grasping at straws, but perhaps in doing so, this will give him some peace of mind.” She switched the letter with the envelope when something suddenly caught her eye.

After staring at it for several moments, she raised her head. “Haru, look at this.” Motioning with her hand, she waited for her daughter to come closer. Seconds passed as they both peered down at the white colored envelope.

“Mom, it says that the letter was mailed well over three months ago,” Haru said. “It's postmarked just after Christmas.”

Naoko nodded. “How come it took so long to get here?”

“No idea, but you know how the mail delivery is around the holidays,” Haru said with a casual shrug of the shoulders. Taking a deep breath, her next words emerged, thus changing the subject. “So, do you think it’s possible that your friend might have come to Tokyo?”

“I'm not really sure,” Naoko said as she wiped the last of her tears away. “Of course anything's possible. I remember that he was very insistent about learning Japanese, but he was never the sort of person who would just leave his family in the lurch like that. He spoke so highly of his parents in his letters.” A pause. “Haru, this could not have come at a worse time. I'm supposed to be concentrating on my quilting, but now I’m worried about Humbert…”

“Humbert?” Haru asked. “Is that really his name?”

“Yes,” she said nodding, all the while noticing the contemplative look that suddenly crossed her daughter's face. Misinterpreting it, she continued. “I know it's not all that common as far as names go. I remember when he told me how he always felt strange about it.”

She put the letter and envelope on the coffee table, her gaze now resting on the fabric pieces that covered the floor. “Right now, I feel pretty awful because I know that I haven’t got the time to even answer his father’s letter. I don't even know if his last address matches up with this one.”

“May I read his other letters?” Haru asked. “I mean, do you still have them?”

“Yes, I saved all of them. They're packed away in the basement in a yellow colored box,” Naoko said. “I haven't touched them in ages, and don't really remember what all is in them. I just figured that when my last letter went unanswered, he was no longer interested in writing. I had no idea that something might have happened to him.”

“When did you write it?” Haru asked.

“I think the last time I wrote was about five years ago.”

“Okay, then, while you’re away, I’ll email them and let them know that their news arrived only today. They really can’t fault you for the post losing such an important letter. I'll make sure they know that if you had gotten this in a more timely manner then you would have responded yourself.”

Naoko took a deep breath. “I know, but right now, I can’t help but feel badly. I mean; if it was you who was missing, I would be trying anything to find out where you were.”

Haru nodded as she wrapped her arms around her mother’s shoulder and pulled her closer. “I know you would, Mom.”

Naoko looked into her daughter’s encouraging eyes and smiled. “Thank you for doing this, Haru,” she said. Once her daughter nodded, she backed out of the embrace and cast a weary glance towards the pattern that was still scattered haphazardly on the floor.

“Don’t worry about it, Mom,” Haru said as her brown eyes followed her mother's gaze. “I’ll see about making dinner, and you go get ready for your presentation. After you leave, I’ll go find the letters and then send the family a message. If I find out anything, I’ll call you. Just don't forget to take your mobile phone with you.”

Naoko nodded and watched as her daughter went into the kitchen to make dinner. Once Haru was gone, she got down on the floor and retrieved the rest of her quilting pieces.

~~~~~

That evening, after the taxi came to take her mother to the airport, Haru went downstairs and into the basement. The small room beneath the Yoshioka house was more or less a storage room for everything ranging from Christmas ornaments to tools. Taking a deep breath, she turned on the light and started walking into the room. As she entered, she felt the cool dampness of the air brushing against the exposed skin on her arms.

Shivering slightly, she started to rummage around the room in search of the yellow colored box that her mother had told her about earlier.

After some time, she discovered it at the bottom of a stack of large boxes. _It must have been a long time since Mom was in contact with this guy. The box is practically buried in here._ Inhaling slowly, she started moving the boxes to one side, thus forming a second stack.

After about five minutes of moving the boxes around, she pulled the final box off the one she needed. Casting it aside, she reached for the yellow box, but not before noticing that one side of it was slightly caved in. _Perhaps it was from having been the base for these other boxes,_ she concluded.

Taking a deep breath, she picked it up, and contrary to its somewhat flimsy looking appearance, the box was rather sturdy and well as being quite heavy. This indicated to the teenager that perhaps there were several hundred letters inside.

“Wow, she must have been quite close to this guy if they had exchanged so many letters,” Haru said out loud as she began to carry the box out of the room. Coming through the doorway, she placed it on the bottommost step that would lead out of the basement. With her hands freed up, she closed the door.

She then picked up the box and carried it up the two flights of stairs and into her room. Inside her somewhat cluttered bedroom, she placed the box on the floor next to the desk.

She then returned downstairs to retrieve the letter that catalyzed all of this. Putting it in her pocket, she approached the front door and locked it. Next, she turned off the lights and retreated back up the stairs to her room.

Closing herself in, she approached the desk. Before sitting down, she turned on the lamp as well as her laptop. She then seated herself at the desk as the computer booted up.

_What am I supposed to tell this guy?_ She asked herself as she went online and opened a window so that she could check her email. Once the new messages had come up, she took a deep breath.

“Two messages from Hiromi,” she mused softly. “I'll answer them tomorrow. It's Friday night and she's probably out with Tsuge and won't check in anyway.”

She picked up the letter and began to scan it in search of an email address. Within seconds, she found it printed on the very top left hand corner of the page.

Sighing, Haru opened a blank email message and addressed it to her mother's long lost pen friend's parents.  
~~~~~  
 **Good evening,**

**I am writing to you on behalf of my mother, Yoshioka Naoko. She received your letter only today, but unfortunately had a business trip away from Tokyo and could not respond straightaway. Please forgive her for not writing sooner, but we both feared that the letter was held up somewhere between England and here after it was posted. It is for that reason that I promised her that I would email you.**

**My mother was deeply grieved to read about what had happened to your son, and she has asked me to find the old letters they exchanged when they were pen friends. I will read through them and let you know if I uncover something that might leave a clue as to what might have happened to him.**

**If I find anything that might help, I will contact you immediately.**

**Respectfully yours,  
** Yoshioka Haru  
~~~~~  
She reread the email several times before moving the cursor to 'send'. Once the message had been sent, she reached for the letter, unfolded it, and began to read through the printed note a bit more thoroughly.

As she finished reading, her gaze came to rest on the closing, which contained the surname of her mother's friend. Instead of having a full name in print at the top of the page, the only clue was a scrawled signature beneath the bulk of the letter.

For several moments, Haru stared at the bottom of the page as she tried to read the strange roman lettering. Email addresses or words printed on a white page were easy for her to read and understand, but cursive signatures were not always easy for her to make out. In fact, this had proven quite a challenge for the eighteen-year-old.

After several lackluster attempts, Haru managed to make out the signature. As she did, her mouth fell open as she discovered the name Michael von Gikkingen staring back at her.

Her eyes closed as she suddenly felt the tears catching beneath them. She remembered the friend who had assisted her a year ago. After further contemplation, her face flushed slightly as she recalled confessing to him that she had had a crush on him. _Could this Michael von Gikkingen really be Baron's father?_

Casting a sideways glance over towards the calendar that was on the wall above her desk, Haru realized that a year had passed since Baron had helped her escape the Cat King.

Sighing, she clutched the letter tightly against her chest.

_Perhaps he was not the same,_ she thought, but before she would write another message to Michael, she would have to find Baron again and find out if her assumptions held any accuracy whatsoever.

_Is it possible that the missing Humbert von Gikkingen and Baron were one and the same?_


	4. A Child's Secret

**Chapter 4: A Child’s Secret**

At the precise moment Haru Yoshioka was uncovering information in Japan, back in England, Madeline Summer had other worries on her mind.

Upon leaving the drawing room, the little girl had raced down the hall towards the back corner of the house. This was where her grandfather resided, as well as where she stayed during her visits.

Her eyes were presently filled with fright as she stumbled along the corridor.

The small child was not certain if she would be able to hide in their rooms, as that was usually the first place Steven looked. It was for that reason alone that Madeline had discovered many hideouts in various rooms throughout the estate.

Her favorite had been the large wardrobe inside the drawing room. She loved it because the wooden structure embodied a rustic and inviting essence. Sometimes whilst sitting on the wooden floor, she would pull down several of the soft coats and sit on top of them. There, in its warm confines, she would daydream for hours about the stories that her grandfather had often told her. Through these tales, she could imagine herself in far off magical lands.

On that particular day, however, she had forgotten about the fact that the lord and lady of the manor were taking tea when she had burst into the room. She knew very little of the distinguished couple and had only met them on a small number of occasions. For this reason, she was just as intimidated by them as she was by Steven and Ian von Gikkingen.

With all these embedded emotions cursing about inside of her, it was truly a surprise that the six-year-old actually enjoyed spending the holidays with her grandfather at all.

The truth was, she loved Heinrich more than anyone else. This adoration was evident when she had practically begged her parents to allow her to spend her breaks from school with him at the manor.

During these vacations Madeline learned more than she did in school. Heinrich would teach her many things about keeping a house, as well as the proper ways to fold serviettes for dinner parties, or how to set an elegant table.

“When you learn how to do certain things, you'll be able to help your mother or surprise those who wish to court you,” he often told her. Although dating was the most unappealing thing to her, the tiny girl still loved learning things from him and believed that he could have hung the moon. After all, only Heinrich Summer could transform simple pieces of cloth into a menagerie of animals.

For the longest time, the visits to the von Gikkingen estate had been such fun for the child. After all, it was a lot more fun to pretend that she was a princess there than at the small flat where she and her parents resided. It no longer mattered if she was seated at a beautifully decorated table, or walking through the pristine corridors of the house; being at the manor made her feel special.

If only Steven would stay away, then everything would be perfect.

After several moments had passed, she heard the soft footfalls of the boy coming closer. This reminded her that she was trying to find a hiding place. When his voice began to echo about, Madeline could suddenly feel her heartbeat beginning to race. Frantically, she managed to hide herself among the tapestries just as the older boy walked by.

She held her breath until he was gone and then slowly released it as she felt something soft rubbing against her ankles. Looking down, she saw Minka standing at her feet.

“Minka,” she whispered, relief shadowing her face as the tears effortlessly streamed from beneath her eyes. Instead of wiping them away, she leaned over and picked the small cat up off the ground and hugged her tightly to her chest. “I was so worried about you.”

The cat responded with a soft purr, but Madeline could understand the words emerging. “I’m alright, Madeline, but, I'm afraid that there is something rather important that I must tell you. It has to do with the significance of today.”

“What is it?” She asked softly.

“I'll tell you, but not here,” Minka responded in kind. “I saw Steven in the hallway leading to the guest wing. Perhaps, with him being some distance away, we can find a place to talk.”

“I know just the spot,” the child whispered, but looked down at the cat in her arms. Minka had grown silent, not even her soft purrs emerging. Instead she pressed a soft paw to Madeline's mouth, but with her other front paw, she pointed.

Following the cat's directions, Madeline watched as Ian walked by, the man completely oblivious to the fact that the two of them were hiding in his midst.

Gasping, the child tightened her hold on the small cat and they both waited for the man to pass them by. Seconds later, he had rounded another corner and the child crept silently from behind the drapes. Minka was still in her arms and they both stared at the man’s retreating back.

Without uttering a sound, the little girl rushed towards a broom closet and quietly opened the door.

This was one place that she was certain about no one bothering to look for her in. The room was filled to capacity with cleaning supplies, the overwhelming scent being that of lavender. As these soothing scents filled her nostrils, she closed herself and Minka inside the room. Inhaling several times, Madeline tried, without much success, at calming herself down.

Eventually, she sat down on the floor and released her hold on the cat. Minka crawled over to a pile of towels and seated herself comfortably on top of them while Madeline pulled her knees to her chest. She then allowed the tears to stream, at will, down her face.

“I was so scared,” she eventually confessed.

“I know,” the cat responded, her voice soft. “I was too.”

“What was it you wanted to tell me?” Madeline asked as she brushed her hand haphazardly over her face in order to wipe the moisture away.

“I overheard Ian and Steven in the corridor, and they were speaking about Humbert,” Minka began.

“Who?” Madeline asked.

“Perhaps I ought to start from the beginning. I met Humbert just after Miss Eleanor adopted me and brought me here to live. I was a kitten at the time and rather terrified of everyone and everything.” As she spoke, Minka rubbed a gray colored paw over her triangular shaped black nose. “I remember it all very well because Miss Eleanor had taken ill and needed someone to take care of me. Out of helpfulness, the baroness volunteered her two sons.”

She paused as a quick tremor cursed through her tiny body. This went unnoticed by the child, who was waiting for her to continue speaking.

“Ian was especially cruel to me. He would tie objects to my tail, and would push me into empty garbage cans,” Minka took a deep breath, her tiny voice trembling as she continued. “He and his son would do things like that to me every day.”

“I don’t like them,” Madeline said boldly. “They’re so mean.”

“Yes, but Humbert, he was much different than both of them. He was kind and when he found out what Ian and Steven were doing, he took me to his room, and sheltered me from them for the duration of the time Miss Eleanor was unable to care for me.”

“He was nice?” Madeline asked.

“Yes, very,” Minka nodded. “How two brothers could be so vastly different was always a mystery to me, but Humbert was as kind as his mother, with a gentlemanly presence that his father embodied. He treated everyone with kindness and compassion.”

“How old are you, Minka?” Madeline asked, her abrupt question somehow breaking the cat's concentration. “I thought you were younger than me.”

“No, I turned seven last month,” the cat responded with a bemused smile. “That’s why I remember everything so vividly. I was two years old when Humbert disappeared, and I never really knew what happened to him. Many of us thought that Ian’s story was accurate and that he had died, but today I found out that he didn't.”

“He didn’t?” Madeline whispered. “Then w-where is he?”

“I heard Ian say that he put his brother under a magic curse and sent him to an antique shop in Tokyo.” As Minka’s words emerged, the door to the broom closet suddenly opened and traces of light filtered into the room.

At the very same instant, Madeline felt the cat leap quickly onto her lap.

When no words emerged from the daunting figure, the little girl cowered away from the door and waited for the eventual blows to come.

What neither of them expected to hear was the sound of a woman in the doorway.

Upon hearing this, the child took a deep breath and spoke, her voice trembling. “M-Miss Eleanor?”

“No, dear, it's Rose von Gikkingen.” A gentle sounding voice emerged.

The child's eyes unconsciously widened as the lady of the manor entered the room and closed the door behind her. “Don't be afraid, Love, no one is going to hurt you.”

Madeline nodded as the woman raised her hand and pulled on a string that was hanging next to her head. Seconds passed and a soft yellowish colored light filled the room. 

“My goodness, I have been looking all over for you,” Rose said as she bunched up her skirts and lowered herself to the floor.

“Why?” Madeline whispered. “Am I in trouble for disturbing your tea?”

“Of course not,” Rose said with an adamant shake of her head. “I was trying to find you because I'm worried about you.” She glanced around the small room and continued speaking. “It would seem that you and your little friend here have found yourselves quite an interesting hiding place.”

Madeline swallowed. “We didn’t mean to cause you any trouble, Ma'am.”

“It’s no trouble, Madeline,” the baroness responded with a smile. “I promise, I won't tell anyone about your secret place.”

Seconds passed as Rose carefully extracted a handkerchief from her pocket before shifting her weight around in order to get comfortable. Once she was, she leaned towards the child with the intention of wiping away the last of her tears. “Hold still now, Love, I don't want to poke you in the eye.”

The child sniffed, but soon felt a soft cloth brushing against her cheeks. As soon as the woman had finished and Madeline's face was once more dry, the little girl spoke, her words soft, but polite. “Thank you.”

“No, it is, perhaps, I who should be thanking you,” Rose said. “Your little visit earlier was such a lovely break from our sadness. Before you came in, I had completely forgotten that you had arrived here earlier this week.”

“I just forgot that you were in there,” Madeline whispered.

“I see,” she said, but instead of speaking further on that particular topic, she decided to change the subject. “So, I am to assume that you are on holiday.”

“Uh-huh,” the child responded with a bashful nod. “I go back in two weeks.”

“Do you like it here with us?”

Madeline shrugged her shoulders as she self-consciously began to pet Minka. _What should I say? I love Grandfather's lessons and having Minka around, but if I tell her that I hate Steven, it will make her mad._ Eventually, she found her voice and spoke. “It's okay, I guess.”

Rose nodded sadly as she glanced towards the door. Instead of inquiring as to why the child felt this way, she opted to a more neutral response. “I think you are a bit lonely here. Your grandfather is always so busy and there are no other children for you to play with.”

The child lowered her head as she felt fresh tears streaming from beneath the lids. “Aside from Grandpa and Minka, nobody else likes me here.”

The woman seated next to her shook her head. “That's not entirely true, Madeline. I am rather fond of your company. Perhaps in the coming days we can get to know each another a little bit better. Would you like that?”

“You mean it?”

“Of course, in fact, I used to spend time with the local children. I would make up stories and tell them tales of talking animals or swashbuckling adventures,” Rose said.

“Really?” Madeline asked. “You did that?”

The baroness nodded. “Does it surprise you?”

“A little,” she said honestly as she looked down at Minka and saw that her friend was regarding her through urgent yellow eyes. “Baroness von Gikkingen, can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” Rose smiled. “But, in return, I would like to ask you something as well.”

“Okay,” the child whispered. “You first.”

“Alright, if you and I are going to be friends, then I want you to call me 'Rose',” she said.

“Is that your real name?” Madeline asked. “It’s pretty.”

“Thank you, dear,” she responded. “I was never really one for fancy titles. I was born a commoner like you. I met the baron when I was a student at the university. Strangely enough, after we got married, I could never get used to being addressed as the 'Baroness von Gikkingen'. To be honest, everything sort of happened in a rather 'Cinderella' like way. During the time we were courting, I was as poor as a church mouse.”

“You were?” Madeline asked and once Rose nodded, she continued. “''Cinderella' is my favorite story. Sometimes, Grandpa would read it to me from a big book of fairy tales.”

“I can imagine that that story might be one of your favorites since it was mine when I was your age,” Rose said. “Now what it is you wanted to ask me?”

“I was just wondering about someone, but I’m sort of scared to ask,” the child confessed. “I don't want you to think I'm crazy or mean...”

“...I won't, just ask me,” Rose said gently.

“Would you believe me if I told you that Minka sometimes talks to me?” Madeline asked. “I mean; she really talks to me and it's not just 'meow' or 'purr'. She talks to me about really important stuff.”

As if to emphasize this point, the cat mewed several times and Madeline looked at her. “I’m getting to it, Minka, but I’m scared that I’ll make her sad by bringing it up.” In response to this, Minka mewed twice and silently waited.

“Madeline, I don't speak 'cat' so you're going to have to tell me what Minka is trying to tell you,” Rose said.

“Okay, the first thing she said was that I should hurry up and tell you what she overheard your son and grandson talking about,” Madeline said softly. “The second time, she said that I should just tell you that she knows the truth about Humbert.”

“Humbert?” Rose said softly. “Are you certain?”

“Yes,” the child answered. “I'm positive.”

“Did your grandfather ever tell you about him?” The baroness asked. “Is that how you knew his name?”

“No, he never mentioned him at all,” Madeline said. “The first time I ever heard his name was just now when Minka was telling me about him. She told me that she knew him from when she first came to live here. She said that he was really nice to her.”

“That’s true, he was,” Rose said sadly as she reached over and touched Minka's soft fur. “Five years ago, Humbert disappeared. Since then, the baron has never stopped believing that our son is alive and out there somewhere. I honestly don't know what to believe. It would be nice if Michael was right in his assertions.”

“He is right,” Minka whispered. “But, that doesn't mean that finding Humbert will be easy.”

Madeline repeated these words and Rose looked at the cat. “You really can…talk, can't you?”

The cat nodded and looked at her translator. “Tell her what I told you before she came in.”

Madeline nodded. “Minka said that she overheard your son saying that he was the one who cursed him and that Humbert was sent to Tokyo.” A pause. “Where's that?”

“It's in Japan,” Rose said sadly. “Humbert was terribly fascinated with the country, but is there a way to narrow that field down just a little bit more? I mean; Tokyo’s a pretty big place.”

Minka launched into a series of sounds that to Rose emerged between purrs and meows. After about twenty seconds, the child looked at the baroness. “She said that he was turned into a cat figurine and was sent to an antique store there.”

“How can someone be turned into a figurine?” Rose asked. “It simply can't happen.”

“Minka said that she heard him make a deal with the Cat King and they used magic to do it.”

Moments later, Minka began to meow again, and after a few seconds, Madeline's face lost all its color and she spoke, her voice laced in fear. “No, Minka, you can't leave.”

“What did she say?” Rose asked. She was not quite certain she wanted to believe that Madeline had actually gotten information from a cat, but the horrified look on the child's face indicated that something was not right.

“She said that she would be leaving here to journey to the Kingdom of Cats to speak with King Lune.”

“Is this the same King that supposedly harmed my son?” Rose asked.

“No, she said that it was a different cat that did that,” Madeline responded as she looked at Minka. “I don't want you to go.”

Minka extended a soft paw and rested it on the baroness' hand. After several meows, the child nodded and looked at Rose. “She said that she wants you to take care of me while she is away and that we should tell Miss Eleanor so she will not worry about her.”

Rose nodded. “I will take care of her, Minka,” she promised. “I will also tell my husband what you have shared.” _Not that he will likely believe me_ , she added silently.

With that, the baroness leaned towards the door leading outside and opened it. Once the cat had exited the closet, she turned and looked at Madeline. The little girl had tears streaming down her cheeks, but amidst that, she was staring at the woman with unhidden wonder. “You believe me?”

“Yes, for some strange reason, I do. Of course, now the real challenge lies before us,” Rose said softly.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it will be up to us to convince my husband that we actually got information about Humbert's whereabouts from a cat,” she said. “I'm not sure if he's going to believe it.”

“Why not?” Madeline asked. “Cats are smart.”

“Yes, and as bizarre as it may sound about Humbert being a figurine, it is still a possible lead,” Rose wrapped her arms gratefully around the child, but when Madeline cringed slightly, she loosened her hold and looked down at her. With a gentle hand, she pulled up the sleeve of the small girl's shirt. “I didn't intend on hurting you, but would you mind telling me how you got these bruises?”

“I-I fell,” the little girl said meekly.

In response to this, Rose shook her head and spoke, her voice stern. “I want you to be honest with me, Madeline. Has someone been beating up on you?” When the child nodded, her next question emerged. “Who was it? Steven?”

The little girl nodded, her face filled with shame. “I didn't want to tattle,” she whispered.

“I know,” Rose said, and with a gentle hand, she pulled the little girl into a motherly embrace.

The child relaxed in the hold, but after several moments, she found the courage to speak again. “Can I ask you something, Barone – I mean; Rose?”

“Of course, Love.”

“Is Humbert the reason your house is so dark?”

Rose nodded. “Yes, but maybe if we one day find him, then we can set about to changing that.”

“Humbert's a really strange name,” the child whispered, her blunt words making Rose smile.

“Yes, I agree, it is quite an unusual one,” she said with a nod. “He was partially named after Michael’s father, that is, he acquired his middle name as a first name. Your grandfather remembers him, and speaks very fondly of him. He was the sort of person who would hold the door open for a lady, sip tea from a silver service, while at the same time, being completely comfortable with sitting around a campfire and telling ghost stories.”

“He sounds fun,” the child whispered.

Rose lowered her head. “Yes, he was a lot of fun, and we miss him terribly.”

Madeline rested her head against the woman's shoulder. “That's why you've been so unhappy,” she whispered. “So much makes sense now.”

Rose nodded as she pulled a locket from beneath the folds of her dress. Smiling she looked at the little girl before opening it. Inside was a photograph of a man who appeared to be in his mid twenties.

Madeline raised her hand and touched the small print, her eyes locking with the emerald green eyes of the man in the photograph. “He's so handsome,” she whispered, her voice laced with awe.

Rose nodded as she closed the heart shaped piece of jewelry and allowed it to fall back against her chest.

Moments passed and with renewed look of determination, the baroness helped the little girl to stand up.

Forgetting about her promised talk with Steven, the woman led her new friend from the closet and down the hall in the direction of the drawing room. It was now time for them to sit down and speak with the baron.


	5. The Journey

**Chapter 5: The Journey**

The distance from the manor to the Kingdom of Cats was a long one, but it was one that Minka was more than determined to take. The small gray colored cat knew this the moment she crept silently from the house and made her way along the rain soaked streets in the direction of where she believed the portal was rumored to be.

She had never been one to venture too far away from home. In fact, she was a cat who loved the feel of home. The last time she had left her human companion; she had gotten lost and ended up trapped in a cage at an animal shelter in Nottingham. This was before Eleanor had come to her rescue and had given her a home as well as the name she now carried. Today, her life was far different than anything she could have imagined.

A tiny smile touched her feline lips as she recalled the time she had spent with Humbert during Eleanor's illness.

As her thoughts drifted, she could not help but recall her words to Madeline about his gentle nature and honest intentions. These had not been exaggerations, not by any stretch of the imagination. He was truly a man like no other and was someone Minka genuinely cared for.

_I have to help him since he had always been there for me,_ she concluded as she felt the water from the wet road inching its way up her legs. Her paws were already wet from the puddles that covered the street and now the coldness of it made her unconsciously shake them with each step she took.

This simple action did very little good since England in the springtime was known to be rather wet.

_It's too bad I have to walk on all-fours,_ her thoughts continued to drift with each step. _If I could walk on my hind legs, then I'd only be getting two feet wet instead of all four._

As she managed to distance herself even further from the manor, relief filled her. Steven had barely noticed that she had left the house, which was good, because if he had gotten his hands on her, then there was no telling what would have happened.

Shaking her head slightly, the cat recalled how terrified Madeline was of the bully. The little girl had, perhaps, made herself an easy target since it was she who had freed Minka from the latest round of Steven's cruelty earlier that day.

“Hey there, gray cat!” A voice suddenly emerged and she raised her head to see that another cat was in the driver's seat of a large orange colored tractor. The behemoth machine was parked in the mud along one side of the road where she was walking.

Briefly, she glanced down at herself and internally groaned. Her coat was completely wet and caked with mud and dirt. Rather than dwelling on her disheveled state, she raised her head and took in the appearance of the other cat.

He was a very large cat, not fat, but his stance seemed to demand respect. He was sitting on his haunches, his whiskers erect and one ear was flopped casually against the left side of his head. From where she was standing, Minka could see that he had long fur, some of it tangled at the ends as though he was in need of a good brushing. His fur was more brown than gray, but still tiger stripes were visible and made him look like a giant sized tabby. His large eyes were regarding her with unhidden amusement, as a large paw covered his mouth.

“Well, well, well, if you'll pardon the expression, just look at what the cat dragged in,” he said, with a loud laugh. “You are quite a sight, little lady.”

“Perhaps,” she began, “but I haven't time for idle chit-chat, I am in a dreadful hurry.”

“Obviously,” the male said, a smirk still shadowing his furry lips. “But, if I were you, I'd think about finding a place to spend the night. The weather is going to get worse before it gets better.”

“Then what are you doing out?” She asked. Before he could respond, she continued. “Oh let me guess, you are out looking for beautiful damsels in distress.”

“No,” he said with a yawn. Casually, he stood up on all-fours and began to stretch. “Ah, that's better,” he said after he managed to stretch out his left front paw and his right back paw. “Actually, I took a cat nap out here, and when I woke up, it was raining, so I decided to take another forty winks and then would head for home to see what old man Perkins has in mind for dinner.”

“So you just came out here for a nap?” Minka asked.

“Yeah, it's better than sitting around watching Mrs. Perkins clean house. A guy could get tired watching her, and when she breaks out that vacuum cleaner – well, you get the idea.”

Minka nodded. “So, how do you know that the weather is going to get worse?”

The large longhair cocked his head to one side, but then looked at her. “It's a feeling I get. I suppose the best way to describe it would be if you live out here in the country long enough, your body can almost detect what the weather is going to do next,” he said. “My name's Aberdeen, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said.

The new cat looked at her half expecting her to say something further, but when she did not, he continued. “I think this is where you're supposed to tell me your name.”

“It's Minka,” she said.

“So, where are you going in such a rush? A kitten your size could easily get washed down a storm drain out here?”

“I am not a kitten, and I can take care of myself,” Minka said indignantly.

“Okay, it's no fur off my tail what you do, but I would bet a ton of catnip that you're lost and have no idea where you're going to spend the night.”

As he spoke a crack of lightening lit up the sky and Minka unconsciously jumped.

“Just as I thought,” he smirked as he jumped down from his perch on the tractor seat. Once he had landed next to her, he regarded her through bemused eyes. “So, would it be beyond your dignity to accept a little help from a stranger?”

Minka thought for a moment and soon relented. “I suppose I could use some help. Aberdeen, do you have any idea where I could stay until the storm passes?”

“The barn is about two hundred meters that direction,” Aberdeen said as he pointed his front left paw in the direction she was going. “If you have no problems with mud, then we can get over there in about five minutes.”

Minka cast another sorrowful glance down at her wet body and feet before nodding.

“Okay, then let's go,” he said as he stood up on his hind legs. When she did not move, he turned and looked at her. “What?”

“What if a human sees you?” She asked curiously.

“No chance of that, Old Man Perkins hates the rain and no one else ever comes out this far,” he explained. “It's okay, you can do it too, or are you scared?”

“I'm not scared,” Minka said as she got up on her hind legs and started to follow him towards the barn. Coming closer, she spoke. “So, does anyone else live there? In the barn, I mean.”

“No, but every so often some of my friends might show up and we get a chance to talk about the latest gossip,” Aberdeen said.

“Like what?” She asked curiously.

“Nothing much of consequence,” Aberdeen said. “We're all simple country cats, so our conversations are generally about things like getting into trouble on the farm. Every so often, we have some lively discussions about the stupid things that powerful cats do to make themselves look important. It sure makes me glad that I chose a simple life away from all that pomp and circumstance.” He paused as he looked at her. “So what about you?”

“Not much to tell, I'm afraid, I left home because I am trying to help a human friend,” she said.

“Really?” Aberdeen asked. Once she nodded, he continued. “I figured you for a cat that had gotten lost in town and is trying to find their way home from the green grocer's.”

“I wish it was that simple,” Minka said sadly. “I left home this afternoon to find King Lune of the Cat Kingdom.”

“Well, you were going about it the wrong way,” Aberdeen said. “The portal to the Kingdom of Cats is southwest and you were heading North. So, where's home?”

“The von Gikkingen manor,” she said softly.

Upon hearing these words, Aberdeen's expression shifted and suddenly the large cat looked angry. “You actually live there?” He quickened his pace, thus trying to make some distance between himself and her. “And here I thought that you were of the decent sort.”

“I am,” she called out as she tried to catch up with him. “For your information, the woman who takes care of me is the housekeeper there. I am not hardly what anyone would describe as a pampered pet if that's what you're thinking.”

Aberdeen stopped walking and turned around. “Sorry,” he said. “But, if it means anything to you, I just don't like that place. Too many stories and rumors about it circulating around here. There's something evil going on up at that house. I can't put my paw on it, it's just that feeling I have. It's sort of like when I can sense the weather and know what is going to happen with it.”

“Why do you think it's evil?” She asked as the rain began to fall even harder, thus forcing them to quicken their pace towards the barn.

“When I was a kitten, about ten years back, my father told me about a human that he had met who lived at that house. He knew this human pretty well and would talk to him just about every day. One day, out of the blue, the human disappeared and the whole place was ultimately locked up tighter than a drum.”

Minka looked at him with unhidden surprise. “Your father knew Humbert von Gikkingen?”

“I don't know,” Aberdeen said with a shake of his head. “Pops never told me if that was the human's name, he just said that the guy could talk to and understand him. Anyway, the next thing I heard was that about five years back, the guy vanished. My father died two years after that, so even if I wanted to, I couldn't ask him about it. I can tell you that I do remember when Pops confessed that he could talk to humans and how he was a bit nervous about it. I guess he figured that it might be too embarrassing if he later found out that the human he trusted could read his mind.”

“I can't really imagine any human being able to read your father's mind,” Minka said honestly. “Aside from that, I think Humbert was far too polite to have overstepped those particular boundaries.”

“Maybe, but let's be honest, the whole story there is pretty strange,” Aberdeen said.

“It is strange, but earlier today I found out what really happened, that's why I'm trying to find some help from King Lune,” Minka admitted.

“Why him?” Aberdeen asked. “Pampered cats like him could probably care less about you.”

“I have to try something,” Minka said. “I mean; I knew Humbert too and it's my obligation to help him, somehow.”

“You knew him?” Aberdeen asked. “So, was it true?”

“Was what true?”

“Could this Humbert really talk to and understand cats?”

“Yes, he could,” Minka said with an unhappy nod. “There are others who could too; though. One of them is my friend, Madeline. She's six-years-old and a lovely person. Every time she comes to visit, she has helped me whenever the baron's grandson did something cruel to me.”

As she was speaking, the two cats had reached the barn and Aberdeen went over and pushed his weight against a small piece of wood and shoved it to one side. As he did, he motioned with one paw for the smaller cat to enter. Once she had gone inside, he followed before allowing the small opening to once again close.

“It's not much, but at least it's dry, and there's some hay in the corner where you can sleep until the storm passes,” he said. “Let's go see if there's some milk. Mister Perkins usually has some left out for strays.”

“I'm not a stray,” she objected.

“No, but I'd be willing to bet a trout dinner that you're hungry,” he said. “Come on, 'Miss I'm-not-a-stray', you are hungry, and for your proposed trip, you're going to need all the strength you can get.”

Minka touched her stomach and felt a soft grumble as she looked at Aberdeen. “Okay, you're right again, I am hungry.”

Aberdeen nodded as they approached a large bowl. Looking inside, he nodded. “There's still some left. It's fresh cow's milk and should warm you up in no time.”

Minka nodded and taking a taste, she smiled. “It's really good. Thank you, Aberdeen.”

He nodded as he lowered himself to the ground and sat watching as she drank the warm milk.

~~~~~

As soon as she had finished the remaining milk, Minka went over to the hay that Aberdeen had pointed out and curled herself into a ball to go to sleep.

Just as she was about to close her eyes, Aberdeen's voice suddenly emerged. “So, you gonna tell me about what you found out?”

“I found out where Humbert is and I thought that King Lune would want to know what really happened to him,” Minka said with a slight yawn.

“Why?” Aberdeen asked. “I heard that they're all crazy there. One of my buddies said that they consume way too much catnip jelly.”

“I don't care, I still need to go there,” she replied.

“Perhaps you ought to reconsider,” he tried again. “Lune may not be so bad, but his father is the worst of the lot. I heard tell that about a year ago when he was still king, he kidnapped a human girl, blew up a tower, and tried to force her into getting married. Given that track record, who knows what would happen to a little cat like you.”

“Well, as luck would have, the old cat king retired,” Minka said softly. “I can only hope that that rumor confirming that is true, because the only one who can really help me now is Lune.”

“Maybe not,” Aberdeen said thoughtfully. He rested a paw against his cheek before lowering it and continuing. “Even if you do reach the Kingdom of Cats, who's to say they would even let you in? You don't look like the sort of cat who could obtain a royal audience. No offense.”

“None taken,” Minka said.

“That's good because now that I think about it, they probably wouldn't let me in either. The deal is, I know of other cats who have tried to get in to see the Cat King and they ended up being thrown out of windows.” He paused. “Someone once said that it was a test to see if cats always land on their feet. The answer to that is 'not always'. In fact, it's a pretty messy deal when you stop to think about it.”

Minka swallowed the fear that had started to bubble up inside of her. “All the same, I still have to try. This information is very important.”

“Then maybe your only hope is the Cat Bureau,” Aberdeen said.

“The Cat Bureau?” She asked. “What's that?”

“It's a place that helps those who need help. I've never had any direct contact with them and don't even know the names of those who run it. I do have a few contacts who have worked with them and they say that the fellows who run it are good at what they do.”

“You know of them, but you can't tell me their names?” She asked.

“No, because I live out here in the sticks and I don't need the assistance of swashbucklers. I know that doesn't make me much help, but I can tell you that the Cat Bureau does come highly recommended.”

Minka looked at her new friend and sighed. “Okay, maybe the Cat Bureau can help me, but how do I find it?”

“I don't know if you can find it or if it finds you,” Aberdeen said honestly. “I'll tell you what. You try and get some rest and I'll go see if I can scratch up some information that might help.”

“Thank you,” She yawned as he jumped up on a bail of hay and soon disappeared outside a small open window.

Once he was gone, Minka curled up in a tight ball and closed her eyes. It had been a long day, and she was really in need of sleep.

~~~~~

When the small gray colored cat opened her eyes again, Aberdeen was standing over her and looking down at her sleeping form.

“Hey Sleeping Beauty, I struck pay dirt,” he said smiling so widely that she could see a pair of small fangs on either side of his mouth.

“What did you find out?” She asked.

“The portal to the Cat Bureau is not too far from here, but there's a catch to all of this. When you get there, you may not be able to come back.”

“You mean that if I go to this Cat Bureau, then I won't be able to get back home?” She asked.

“Yeah, that's what I'm telling you,” Aberdeen said. “You have to be completely certain that you want to go there and have them help you. The last time anyone I knew had gone there; they went through the wrong portal and ended up in Japan.”

Minka's face lost all its color as she looked at him, shock suddenly registering as she recalled the words she had overheard Ian saying back at the von Gikkingen manor.

“Japan?”


	6. Coincidences

**Chapter 6: Coincidences**

At the very same moment, Madeline and Rose had reached the drawing room. The baroness slowly opened the door and instead of speaking, she turned away from the doorway and watched as the child silently peered into the room. It was, as expected, empty with both Heinrich and Michael being gone.

“Where do you think they went?” Madeline asked as she backed her way out of the room and looked up at Rose.

“I imagine that your grandfather went to take care of the tea service and is now working in the kitchen. Michael is probably in the study reading the daily paper or doing some research online,” Rose said. As these words filled the corridor, she took note of the child's discomfort and continued. “Don't worry.”

Madeline nodded, but deep down inside, she was worried. After all, the prospect of speaking to the baron about the very same topics that she had spoken with Rose about was still buzzing about in her mind. _How could Baron von Gikkingen believe anything I say? I'm only six and the one who told me all of this was a cat._

For a brief moment, she stared at the baroness, all the while wondering if the woman was contemplating exactly the same things she was. _Was Rose as nervous as me about talking about this?_ The little girl asked herself as she cast a glance down the hallway and gasped before backing away fearfully.

At the other end of the corridor and walking in the direction of where they were standing, was Ian von Gikkingen.

From a distance, the younger of Rose's sons looked rather intimidating, his stance erect and his eyes as cold as a sea in winter. As he came closer, and eventually met them, Madeline could see an almost cruel essence in the man. This unrelenting hatred in his stance remained dominant as he looked from one of them to the other.

“I want to talk to you, Mother,” he said as his disdainful eyes glazed over the child standing at her side. _“Alone.”_

Taking a deep breath, Rose wrapped her arm around Madeline's shoulder and pulled her into the protection of her embrace. At the same time, she tried without much success at ignoring the fact that Madeline was shaking like a leaf. “I'm afraid that it will have to wait,” she eventually found her voice and spoke, her words even colder than she intended. “There is something of grave importance that I must discuss with your father.”

“As if what I have to say isn't important,” the man responded sarcastically.

“I never said that, Ian,” Rose said. “I merely said that I must speak with your father about something that I believe to be important.” She did not want to add that she had heard about the conversation he had had with his son and that her trust in him was now in question.

“But, it's true, isn't it?” Ian asked, this time interrupting her contemplations. “You and Father have always been too busy to pay me any mind.” As these scathing words emerged, Madeline could feel Rose's hold on her tighten considerably.

“Ever since Humbert died...” Ian continued, but as his voice trailed off, he watched Madeline back further into the baroness' arms.

_Did the brat know about my talk with Steven?_ He asked himself. _Is that why she is behaving as though I am her mortal enemy?_

When nothing was said that either confirmed or denied his unspoken assertions, Ian continued to watch the child's actions through skeptical eyes.

Rose, upon seeing this; looked at her son. “I don't think Humbert died, Ian,” she said, her voice direct. “I am beginning to think along the same lines as your father when he said that Humbert is simply 'not here with us'.”

“Are you saying I'm a liar?” Ian shouted, all the while unable to curtail his anger. “Is that it?”

Madeline cringed as his hostile words continued. “Do you know what I think, Mother? You and Father would be willing to do anything to deny me having my rightful title. Isn't that right?”

“Your father is the one who will decide who is next in line for it, Ian, you know that,” Rose said evenly. “But, it does not change the fact that I don't believe you have earned it.”

“I don't have to 'earn it'. I am the rightful heir by birth, and since my brother is dead, I am next in line,” Ian snapped.

“That will be for your father to decide,” Rose said.

“Another of your aversion tactics?” Ian asked.

Rose looked at him. “No, but it is not my place to decide the fate of titles and honors within the family. You would be the first to argue that I am not a von Gikkingen by blood, but by marriage.”

“So, instead of focusing on the important issues of family, you're spending all your time playing babysitter for the hired help.”

Abruptly, Rose raised her head and regarded her son. “Let me make something perfectly clear; Ian. Madeline is not my charge, she is my friend, and I do not consider her or her family to be beneath me. Of course, I do have the distinct impression that given your and Steven's treatment of her, that she has surpassed both of you when it comes to compassion and maturity. In fact, I don't believe for an instant that this child requires a babysitter, but given what I have seen of her, she may be in need of someone to protect her from Steven. Boys who go around beating up on defenseless little girls are nothing more than weaklings and cowards. We did not raise you to treat others that way so this behavior is a shock to both your father and me, as well as mystery.”

Ian took a deep breath as Rose started to lead the child back down the hall in the direction of the study. “We don't do it unless they richly deserve it,” he muttered under his breath as she passed.

Upon hearing these utterances, Rose stopped and turned back around. “You should be ashamed of yourself, Ian von Gikkingen. With an attitude like that, it is truly no wonder Steven has no manners whatsoever.”

With that, she led Madeline away.

Ian stared after them, his anger building with each moment. _How dare she speak to me like this? When I obtain my rightful title then I'll show her a thing or two. I don't care if she is my mother._

He started to follow them from a safe distance and watched as they reached the door leading into his father's study. After several moments, his mother's words once again filled his ears.  
“I honestly didn't anticipate something like that happening,” Rose began.

The little girl nodded, her back now facing where he was positioned. As his mother continued speaking, his scowl grew.

“He really frightens you, doesn't he?”

The little girl nodded as Rose opened the door to the study and the two of them entered.

For his part, Ian approached the now closed door and stood in front of it, once more trying to detect what was being said on the other side of the thick wooden door.

~~~~~

Inside the cluttered room, Rose and Madeline found Michael von Gikkingen seated. His back was to the door and his elbows were resting on a mahogany colored desk. His eyes were staring blankly at a computer screen and his expression deeply concentrated.

“Still no leads?” Rose asked softly as she came over and rested her hands on his shoulders.

He stopped everything he was doing and slowly turned around. “No,” he whispered as his hand covered one of his wife's. “I thought you didn't like me doing this, Rose.”

“I suppose when all this started, I didn't,” she said softly as she lowered her chin so that it would rest against the top of his shoulder. “I guess I've had a lot of time to think about it.”

“And what did you conclude?” He asked softly. “That it's nothing more than a wild goose chase?”

“No, my love, that is not what I think at all,” Rose whispered into his ear.

“Well, I am beginning to think that it is because none of my inquiries have been answered. It's as though Humbert disappeared off the face of the earth.” As if to add emphasis to this, he motioned towards the table where several brochures and printed pages rested.

Madeline turned and looked at them, but did not dare move towards them. Instead the little girl looked at the downtrodden baron and spoke, her tiny voice distracting him. “He's still alive, sir,” she whispered.

Michael, upon hearing this, turned around and stared into the eyes of the little girl now standing in the room. She stood alone, several meters away from his wife. Instead of responding to her words, he motioned with his hand for her to sit down.

Madeline nodded as she walked towards the sofa and shyly lowered herself onto the red velvet seat.

For her part, Rose took a deep breath and began to speak. “Michael, maybe you should take a break from whatever you are doing and listen to what it is we have to say. I think it's rather important.”

“I'm almost done,” he muttered as he typed several words into the search engine and waited for something to come up. When nothing did, he closed the window and turned towards his wife. When he saw the grave expressions on both his wife's and the little girl's faces, he spoke. “Is something wrong?”

“I'm afraid there is,” Rose said sadly. “It's about what Ian told us several years back.”

“About Humbert?” Michael asked. When they both nodded, he got up from the computer and walked over to where the child was seated. “I see.”

He seated himself next to Madeline and after several moments of awkward silence, he figured that given her stance, he would ultimately have to coax the story out of her. “Madeline, did something happen after you left the drawing room earlier?”

“Y-yes sir,” the child stammered.

“What was it?” He asked gently. “Did you find Narnia in the wardrobe?”

“No sir, but would you believe me if I said I did?” She asked innocently.

“I might,” he said as he clasped both of his hands together. “You see, sometimes fantasy makes life a lot more bearable.”

“I guess,” the child whispered noncommittally.

“It's true, now tell me what happened after you left,” he said as his wife sat down on the other side of the child and waited for her to respond.

When she didn't say anything, Rose eventually addressed her husband. “Honey, do you remember when Humbert came home and told us that he could speak to and understand cats?”

Michael nodded as a slight smile broke through the sadness that literally engulfed him. “Yes, I actually remember that moment quite well.”

“Madeline has the very same ability,” Rose began. When her husband did not respond, she continued. “She has something that she needs to tell you, but I think she's afraid that you won't believe her.”

“Really?” He asked. Even though his voice emerged laced with an element of skepticism, there was a feeling inside him that wanted to believe that the child's abilities were the truth.

After several moments of silence had passed, the little girl shyly nodded. “Minka and I are friends and we talk about lots of stuff.”

Michael looked at Rose, who offered an affirming nod. “I wasn't sure if I could believe it either, but given what I saw a little while ago, as well as what Madeline knows about Humbert, I have no choice but to believe it. Minka and Humbert were close once, and Madeline has told me things that not even Heinrich knows.”

“Such as?” Michael asked.

“Well, among other things, Minka related some rather disturbing information about something Ian and Steven were talking about.”

“But, Minka's a cat,” Michael objected.

“She's really smart, though,” Madeline said. “She doesn't just say 'meow' and 'purr'.”

“I'm not doubting that, Madeline, I'm just stating that Minka is, in fact, a cat,” he said as he raised his hands in negation. “How can a cat be an informant about something like this?”

“I don't know, but she can and she did,” Madeline argued.

Rose looked at her husband and then at the little girl. “Madeline, just tell him what you told me back in the linen closet.”

The little girl took a deep breath. “Minka said that she overheard your son telling your grandson that he used magic to make Humbert disappear. She said that he used a curse given to him by the first Cat King. She went on to say that a lot of people think he's dead, but he's not.” As if by impulse, she wiped her hand over her face where fresh tears had caught beneath her eyes. “Now, Minka is gone. She went to see King Lune, the new ruler of the Cat Kingdom and I don't know when she'll be back.”

“What are you trying to say, Madeline?” Michael asked.

“I think you already know,” Rose said as she leaned towards her husband and whispered. “Ian's behind this, Michael. He's been lying to us for the last five years. Basically, what you have always assumed about Humbert being alive is true!”

“We have no proof of that,” Michael objected.

“No, we have something even better,” Rose responded. She reached over and rested her hand on her husband's shoulder. “We have faith. Faith that our son is alive out there somewhere. I know all of this sounds crazy to you, but Michael, you did say that you would be willing to follow any lead, no matter how abstruse it may seem. I believe wholeheartedly that Minka overheard something of relevance. Perhaps it does seem strange that a cat would be the informant, but ask yourself; what if the one who overheard it had been Eleanor or Heinrich? Would we be doubting their words like you are doing with Madeline?”

Michael looked at the child, his expression grave. “Alright then. What else did Minka tell you?”

“S-she s-said that Humbert was turned into a cat figurine and sent to Tokyo,” Madeline said as she looked down at her lap.

Not certain as to how to respond, Michael took a deep breath and reached over and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I'm not angry with you, Madeline, but I do think these kinds of stories are rather cruel, don't you?”

“They're not stories, they're the truth!” The little girl cried as she turned and looked at Rose, all the while brushing aside the persistent tears that streamed down her cheeks. “I knew he wouldn't believe me. I'm nothing more than a kid who should be seen and not heard.” She started to get up, but not before Michael reached out and grabbed her arm.

This made the little girl begin to scream, her voice filled with agony.

“What the...” Michael began as he loosened his hold on her.

“Madeline's been enduring abuse, Michael,” Rose began as she gently moved the fabric of Madeline's sleeve up. “You need to treat her with great care.”

“Abuse?” Michael asked as he stared at the bruises that lined the child's arm.

What surprised him was that Madeline jerked away from him before stumbling towards the door. Opening it, she gasped before shrinking back.

Ian was standing in the threshold, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes bearing down at the child before him. It was apparent to both the baron and baroness that their son had been standing in the doorway and listening to the goings-on inside the room.

When Michael's gaze came to rest on him, Ian backed away from the door as though the metal handle was on fire. Seconds passed before the younger man decided against another retreat and slowly entered the room, his gaze now locked on his father. “I knew that you never believed what I said five years ago, but I never imagined that you would consider listening to the insignificant fantasies of a child.”

“A child's words are just as important as yours, Ian,” Michael said firmly.

“Please don't tell me you actually believe her,” Ian said.

Michael took a deep breath. “I never affirmed or denied anything she said. However, I have always believed in looking at all sides of a story.”

At that moment, amidst the tension building in the room, a soft beeping sound emerged and Michael turned away and stared over at the computer.

“What is it?” Rose asked softly.

Michael took a deep breath and started to walk over towards the desk.

“Oh sure, go ahead,” Ian said snidely as he turned around and left the room in a huff. “It's just like you to always find something that will distract you from the needs of your family.”

Ignoring these words, Michael leaned over the desk and opened the window for his email. After several seconds, he waited for the incoming message to appear.

When it did, his jaw literally dropped.

Printed at the top of the message was a surname that he had heard several times during his son's youth.

“Michael?” Rose spoke his name. “What is it?”

The baron took a deep breath as he turned and looked at his wife. “Last Christmas I wrote several letters to Humbert's friends. I never told you about this, because I feared that they would not reap too terribly much. Most of the people I wrote to did not respond, and I feared that the letters had reached a dead-letter pile.”

“The message is a response?” Rose asked.

Michael nodded. “Yes, the name matches one of Humbert's Japanese pen friends from when he was younger. You do recall how active he was in writing letters. This email appears to be from the daughter of one of those friends.”

Rose got up from the sofa and went over to the computer. She too recalled the letters that were neatly stashed in her eldest son's room. Leaning over her husband, she began to read the message on the screen.

_“I will read through them and let you know if I uncover something that might leave a clue as to what might have happened to him,”_ were the words that offered comfort to the grieving couple. Somehow, Rose could tell that they added validity to what her husband was striving to do. She smiled as she watched him turn away from the computer and make his way over to the child seated on the sofa.

“Just before this email came, you said that my son was in Tokyo, correct?” He asked.

“Yes sir,” Madeline nodded as Rose returned to the sofa and seated herself beside the little girl.

Michael nodded, but after some moments he spoke, his words surprising both his wife and the little girl. “Then that is where I will go.”

Rose nodded as she looked into her husband's determined face. “When do you intend on taking this trip?” She asked.

“As soon as I can get a flight,” he said as he looked at Madeline, his eyes now showing a brightness that the child had never before seen. “I may need your help when I go there as well, Madeline. Do you think your grandfather or parents would object to you coming with me?”

“Why do you want to take Madeline to Japan with you, Michael?” Rose asked softly.

“The answer is simple. If our son has been turned into a cat, then I'm going to need someone who can speak to cats in their language since neither of us can,” Michael said.

Of course, one look at his wife and it was blatantly clear what the baron's rationale truly was.

While, Baron Michael von Gikkingen did not believe the stories about cat figurines at all, he realized that Japan was a plausible lead. He also knew that in good conscience, he could not easily leave the country with his butler in tow and subject Madeline to even more abuse back at the estate. The child was fragile enough as it were.

His only hope was that Heinrich, his daughter, and son-in-law would understand this logic and allow their daughter to make this journey. He realized further that if he did not obtain permission, he would have to send Madeline to stay with her great aunt.

As the baron regarded the eyes of the small child, instead of seeing fear and uncertainty, what he saw was a child who looked to be just as determined as he was about uncovering the truth.


	7. The Letter

**Chapter 7: The Letter**

The bedside lamp stayed on throughout the night. This seemed rather contrary to the fact that Haru had made the decision to go to bed at a reasonable hour. Of course, she had waited until after her mother had called to let her know that she had arrived at her destination safely and was at her hotel room.

There was no single explanation as to why Haru could not sleep, but at that moment it was closing in on three in the morning and she was still wide awake. The young woman had long since accustomed herself to the general noise outside her bedroom window. In fact, it was mostly stray cats and dogs calling or an occasional motorist. On this particular night, things were unusually quiet outside the Yoshioka house.

Earlier, at around half past one, Haru had decided that, tired or not, she was in desperate need of some rest. After all, she had been up since half past six the previous morning and moving in on being awake for over twenty hours. Lying down on her bed and trying to empty her mind reaped very little success because her wayward thoughts would not cease.

Her mind seemed to constantly drift back to the feelings she still carried for Baron Humbert von Gikkingen. In fact, these emotions were just as strong that night as they had been the morning they had said 'goodbye'. It was no secret that over time, these feelings had intensified on several other levels. Haru could still remember how it felt to have him hold her in his arms as he raced up the tower steps.

Her face flushed as she recalled having argued that she could have run beside him and Muta when they had just started climbing up those stairs. He had said 'don't worry', but she was already worried. This was not necessarily about confronting the Cat King, because she knew that that was what she would have to do if he had caught up with them. Instead, she recalled how she had been afraid of telling Baron how she felt about him.

For the longest time, the brunette wondered if he could tell that she was hopelessly attracted to him. Did he know that during their adventure, she had started to consider the option of staying a cat forever just so she could be with him? The idea of courting a cat was, at first, an idea that she had believed to be preposterous, but somehow it had evolved into a feasible option. After all, why else would her whiskers have grown even longer during those moments when she felt herself resting in his arms?

Of course, the moment the tower had actually fallen was one that Haru would never ever forget. As she had felt herself braced against the pillar, she abruptly heard Baron's words being spoken into her ear. “Hold on tight,” he shouted as he abruptly pressed the end of the cane into her hand and the tower began to collapse like a house of cards. 

That simple action was clear, Baron Humbert von Gikkingen had saved Haru Yoshioka's life, and like a typical hero from a fantasy story, he had disappeared from her life as quickly as he had entered it. The impact he left behind was still present, as she could still hear his voice resonating in her mind.

Now, ever since the letter had arrived from Michael von Gikkingen, the emotional and rational sides of Haru's conscience were in conflict with one another. The emotional side was striving to discover if there was any parallel between Michael's missing son and Baron. All the while, her more rational side seemed to argue that no matter what the message happened to have said about the missing son, it was all merely coincidence.

So, as her internal battle raged on, Haru reached the conclusion that she would not be able to go to sleep at all.

After some time, as overt frustration engulfed her, the young woman abruptly kicked the blankets aside and crawled out of bed.

“Alright, Baron,” she grumbled to the stillness. “You win.”

Sighing, she went over and turned on the overhead light, the brightness abruptly filling the room. Reaching for her robe, she put it on and continued to mutter under her breath. “I guess there really is no point in my even trying to go to sleep. Not when I have a million questions raging about in my mind and they are entirely centered on _you_.”

Haru knew deep down inside that the only feasible option remaining for her was to go to the Refuge, sit down, and talk all of this over with Baron.

Looking outside through the window, affirmed to her that at that precise moment, such an action seemed impossible. Another glance towards her alarm clock affirmed that assertion tenfold. Logic further argued that she would not find Muta at the crossroads at that particular hour anyway.

Her emotions, on the other hand, argued that Baron had told her that the Bureau's doors would be open to her, be it day or night. Essentially, she could go there anytime she felt it necessary.

Of course, given that she could not remember the way to the small A-frame house, proved that logic had managed to win that particular argument.

Haru decided to do the next best thing. She sat down at her desk and read through about five or six of the letters in the order that her mother had received them. This had proven very little help to her. In fact, the first few letters in the stack contained facets of Humbert's life as a preteen boy. There were no real questions answered because the bulk of said letters centered on his three main interests; sports, cars, and drawing. These hobbies were confirmed when Haru found a somewhat crumpled photograph inside the envelope with the first letter. It was a picture of a blond headed boy holding a book depicting modern art, sporting a Manchester United football jersey, and leaning up against a silver Rolls Royce.

The letters that followed his initial contact with Naoko proved of very little help to the young woman at all. Mostly, the letters spoke about the basic day to day events of a young boy's life. Aside from a few small details, these could have easily been chapters of Haru's own existence just prior to her having been accepted into high school.

If anything, reading these first letters made her begin to doubt whether or not Humbert and Baron were even the same individual at all.

_Maybe it is all merely a coincidence,_ she argued with her conscience, all the while remembering the aristocratic cat figurine that she had confessed to having a crush on. Baron was truly a far cry different than the preteen boy who had penned those first letters to her mother.

_Maybe Humbert had changed after he had gotten older and I'm reading these letters from the wrong end. If I start from the last letter he wrote and work myself towards the first letter, I might actually find out something that would clue me in as to what happened to him._

She reached for a bottle of water that was on her desk and after opening it, she took a sip before replacing the lid. Once she placed it on the desk, she dumped the contents of the box on the floor and began to sort through them.

~~~~~

Close to two hours later, Haru managed to sort out the letters by the year they had been sent. She stacked them carefully in the box with the latest ones at the top. Lucky for her, the postmarks on most of them had been clearly stamped.

As she finished, she reached for the very last letter that Humbert had written, but failed to notice that a small snapshot had slipped out from beneath the folds of paper and landed face down inside the box. Her gaze came to rest on the postmark, which was dated at around the fifteenth of December, five years ago.

Carefully, she pulled out a card and two pieces of paper. After glancing at the decorations that graced the card, she laid it on the desk and unfolded the letter.

The very first thing she noticed was how neat the penmanship of the letter looked. Normally she had difficulty in reading English lettering, but here, the handwriting was carefully written and the script literally flowed across the page. It seemed to carry the very same eloquence that she would have expected had the letter been written by Baron himself.

Taking a deep breath, she began to read the letter.  
~~~~~  
 **Dear Naoko,**

**I received your latest letter and was very happy to read that all is well with you. I hope that the quilting continues to reap success. Your latest project looks very nice and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing a sample of your artistic creativity. I must say that I also enjoyed seeing the photograph you sent of your fetching little girl. She looked very proud and happy and her smile could have easily lit up any room.**  
~~~~~  
Grateful that no one was in the room, Haru suddenly felt the heat rushing to her cheeks. She placed the letter momentarily on the table before raising her hands and lightly touching her face. As she did this, she abruptly felt warmth against her fingertips. The word 'fetching' was literally springing out from the page and she recalled Baron's words about her the first moment they had met.

Inhaling several times, she once more picked up the letter, shook it out, and returned her attention to the writing that graced the page.  
~~~~~  
 **As for myself, I have been increasingly busy; my studies have taken me to lectures all over England, the latest being to Manchester. Perhaps this explains the time that passes between my letters. Gone are the days when I could write you countless pages each week as I did during my youth.**

**So, as you also know, I am currently in the middle of working on my master's thesis in architecture.**  
~~~~~  
 _Oh fantastic,_ Haru thought sadly as she stopped reading for a moment. _Another person who knew exactly what he wanted to do and was setting about to doing it. Why is it that I am the only person on the planet who does not know what I want to do yet?_

As a strange sort of sadness washed over her, Haru continued reading the letter.  
~~~~~  
 **I have always loved drawing and believe that one day I could design something that might actually last a hundred years. The work is hard, but it is something that I am quite excited about. Only last week my professor told me that I am doing very well and if all goes according to schedule, I should be able to have the thesis completed by the middle of next year. It would be a grand accomplishment for me if I met that particular deadline.**

**Perhaps the real reason that I am spending so much time working on this and not being home with my family is because, for some time I have not felt exceedingly well there. A thousand pardons if I cannot formulate this very well. My unwillingness to return is centred on the crumbling relationship between myself and my younger brother, Ian.**

**I have always pondered what it is about me that makes him despise me so much. I have tried very hard to speak of these concerns with him, all to no avail. Contrary to the fact that we both grew up in the same house and around the same people, we simply do not get along. Perhaps my parents did tend to favour me over him, but I am not at fault for this, and I have done nothing to bring it about.**

**With all this said, I simply cannot justify why it is he is so unkind to those weaker than himself. I recall the last time I was at home, our housekeeper, Eleanor, had taken ill. My father had requested that we take care of her cat, Minka, while she recovered. I had no objections whatsoever as I found the gray colored kitten to be quite delightful company. She amused me and gave me a break from the work that had occupied me during the past few months. My brother's reaction was quite the contrary. I witnessed on several occasions how cruel and unkind he was to her. Not able to take much more of his abuse, I finally brought Minka to my quarters and she remained there until Eleanor could once again care for her.**  
~~~~~  
Haru took a deep breath as she lowered the letter yet again. Her face was still flushed as her thoughts drifted away from what she had been reading. _Unlike those earlier letters, this one does read like something Baron might actually have written,_ she thought.

At that moment, Haru could no longer deny what her heart was telling her. Humbert and Baron were the same, there existed no logic in the world that could argue otherwise.

Without thinking of what she was doing, she raised the letter and pressed it against her nose before inhaling. Why she did this, she did not know. Physically, the letter contained the very same odors as those found in her and her mother's basement.

_Why does this feel so familiar to me?_ She asked herself. _It's as though Baron is seated in this very room and talking these things over with me._

No matter what the answers to her questions happened to be, Haru felt something familiar in the writing as well as the wording that had been chosen. It reminded her in so many ways of the time she had been seated inside the Cat Bureau and taking tea with Baron. Somehow she believed that in his presence, she had found far more than someone who would merely help her out of trouble; she had found a true friend.

Contrary to the fact that the letter she held in her hand was addressed to her mother, Haru was starting to believe that these words had also been intended for her.

“Oh what's the matter with me?” She muttered under her breath after several moments had passed. “Of course it's not written to me. He was my mother's pen pal, not mine.”

Lowering her head as regret washed over her, she continued to read the last part of the letter.  
~~~~~  
 **Maybe it is all in my mind, and I should not worry myself about it. Yet, the real truth is, my brother scares me. He is capable of so much and although no one is fully aware of it, I fear for the safety of my parents as well as myself. Does that seem rational to you? I have always prided myself on being the rational sort. Perhaps it is a figment of my imagination. I only know that what I must say to you is this: If you do not hear from me again, then this letter is my testimony as to why...**

**Your faithful friend,  
Humbert**  
~~~~~  
Haru lowered the letter and took a deep breath as she got up off the floor and went over to the desk. There, she turned on the computer and waited for it to boot up. Next, she pulled the chair closer to it and seated herself in front of it. Finally, she turned on the printer in order to scan the letter that she had just read.

_I know that to him it may not be of any relevance, but to me it carries far more than the letter my mother received earlier,_ she thought. _After all, I did promise._

Without thinking about what she was doing, she scanned the two page letter and saved them as she would a photograph. Next, she opened her email and checked for a response. Finding none, she sighed deeply before typing out a quick message.  
~~~~~  
 **Mr. von Gikkingen,**

**Attached is a scanned copy of the final letter that your son wrote to my mother. I hope that it will offer you some sort of clue in finding him. I will continue to search through the many letters he sent to my mother and let you know if I find anything else there.**

**Best regards,  
Yoshioka Haru**  
~~~~~  
After attaching the files to the email, she carefully typed her phone number beneath her name and sent the message.

Once this was done, she yawned before turning the computer off and standing up. She then reached for the letter before walking over to turn off the overhead light. As the bright light vanished, she returning to the bed and with one hand, pulled the covers aside.

_I'll read some more of the letters tomorrow...after I get back from seeing Baron,_ she thought as she placed the letter on the bedside table, before she crawling beneath the covers. Leaning over, she turned off the bedside lamp before closing her eyes, and falling asleep.


	8. Aberdeen's Sacrifice

**Chapter 8: Aberdeen's Sacrifice**

Minka slowly opened her eyes when she felt the soft nudge of a paw against her side. She was lying in the middle of a moist and scratchy pile of hay, her body somehow unwilling to move. With a soft paw, she rubbed her tiny black nose hoping that she was not going to sneeze. Although she was not a spoiled sort of cat, she did enjoy sleeping on a much softer bed.

As her yellow eyes opened a bit wider, she could see the sun streaming into the barn through the uneven wood that formed an arched ceiling. Grateful that it was not the dead of winter or still raining, she stretched herself out and tried to remember the events of the night before.

Sighing, she turned to see the fluffy heavyset cat seated next to her. His tail was tucked carefully beneath his body and his front paws were now resting in front of him, as though helping to balance him on his hind legs.

“Good morning, sunshine,” he said, but watched and she began to brush her front paws down over her body. This action removed the remainder of the hay that had stuck to her torso while she had slept.

“Where am I?” She whispered somewhat disoriented. To the smaller cat, the night before had resembled a dream, and it was one that she figured she would awaken from.

“You must have really been tired last night to not remember anything,” the large cat said. From where he was seated, she could see that his fur was now shimmering against the fragments of light that were shining into the room.

She nodded but rubbed a tired paw against her eyes before lowering it and looking at the cat seated next to her. “Aberdeen?”

“Well, I stand corrected, I guess you do remember something about last night,” he said.

“What time is it?” She asked.

“About seven in the morning, you slept through the night and I didn't really have the heart to wake you up,” he said. “You hungry?”

Minka nodded. “Starving.”

“I figured, but it's a good thing that I know where we can grab ourselves some breakfast,” Aberdeen said. “Old Man Perkins is very good about feeding us and he even left some sardines out for you. I guess he saw you crashed here when he came in to feed the other residents. You're lucky you got here last night, Saturdays are usually fish days.”

“Fish days?” Minka asked softly, but when Aberdeen did not respond, she figured that he had not heard her. Instead of making a fuss, she started to follow him through the barn towards the scent of the mustard covered fish. Sardines happened to be one of her favorite foods, although she received them very rarely because Eleanor was always concerned about her oil intake.

Approaching the bowl she sat down on and started to eat the fish.

For his part, Aberdeen watched as she ate and once she had finished, he spoke. “So, where specifically did you wish to go; the Cat Kingdom or the Cat Bureau?”

“You said that I wouldn't get back home if I went to the Cat Bureau, correct?” She asked.

He nodded affirmatively. “That's true, but you need to keep in mind that the portals that lead to both places pose the very same dangers. If you journey to the Cat Kingdom, you will risk getting no help and being unable to find your way back home.”

“I don't know what to do,” she whispered. “I thought maybe King Lune would be able to help me, but maybe no one can.”

“Maybe you shouldn't be giving up,” Aberdeen said. “Just because I don't know what will happen doesn't mean that all is lost. It's simply not known.” He paused. “I won't lie to you, Minka, it's not going to be easy, but I don't think you expected it to be. What I can tell you is that I heard tell of several cats who tried to go to the Cat Kingdom, but they did not have too terribly much success with getting help or getting back. It would seem to me that regardless of where you decide to go, your fate will essentially be the same.”

Minka swallowed nervously. “Well, then I suppose if I had to choose between ending up in Japan and some other unknown place, I'd prefer Japan. Perhaps that option is better since that was where I heard Humbert had been sent anyway.” She took a deep breath. “So, I guess I'll go to the Cat Bureau.”

“You're really certain about that?” Aberdeen asked.

“I'm completely terrified, but yes, I'm certain,” Minka said softly.

“Why would you take such a grave risk?”

“Because; I owe Humbert my life.”

“Your life?” He repeated, his words dull, but still in the form of an inquiry.

“Yes,” the small cat responded with a nod. Instead of elaborating, she took a deep breath. “I only hope that you're right about the Cat Bureau. Could you maybe show me the way?”

“I'll do more than that,” Aberdeen said firmly. “I'm going to go with you.”

“You are?” She asked. “But why?”

“I'm ripe for an adventure,” he said with a smirk.

“But, Aberdeen, you have a good life here. Why would you want to throw that away to help a practical stranger?”

“The answer is simple, it isn't so much to help you,” he began. “Do you remember last night when I told you that my father knew Humbert von Gikkingen?”

“Yes, but...” she started to object.

“...He would want me to help Humbert in any way I could,” Aberdeen interrupted. “Just before my father died, he told me about what sort of person Humbert was. He called him a human like no other. This man was someone that my father would have put his paw into fire for. It means something to me because my father usually never talked about mush like that.” He paused as he looked at Minka intently. “The point is, I know that my father would want me to do this and I know that he would be proud of both of us for giving it a try.”

Minka nodded as the larger cat continued. “Besides, if I made you go there all by yourself, then not only would it make me a coward, it would also bring dishonor to my father's memory.”

Minka looked at him with trepidation still written all over her face. “But, what if you can't get back?”

“Then I'll learn Japanese,” the larger cat answered with a laugh. “The way I figure it, since they eat raw fish there, I would bet ten kilograms of catnip that their food is a far cry better than the canned sardines we get here.”

“Perhaps my tastes are not so refined, but I thought it was a rather good breakfast. If I ever get back home, I will do everything I can to show Mister Perkins my gratitude for his kindness.”

Aberdeen shook his head as he raised one paw in negation. “Don't even go there, his wife is petrified of mice, and cattails are considered weeds around here.”

“I wasn't thinking about either of those things,” Minka objected. “I'm not really a mouser and I don't get outside very often.”

Aberdeen smiled. “Well then, a simple purr and rubbing against his legs would suffice.”

“I'm still confused about something,” she said and after several seconds, her question emerged. “Won't you be missed?”

“Nah,” he said scoffing it off. “Mister Perkins has about ten or fifteen cats hanging around here. Besides, I can't wait till we get there. From what I hear, Japan is a regular smorgasbord, what with all the sushi they have there.” As if to emphasize his point, he rubbed a gray colored paw over his furry stomach.

“Then perhaps we really should get moving,” Minka said. _Before I change my mind about all of this_. In lieu of speaking of these particular thoughts or concerns, she took a deep breath and regarded her escort. “I'm really grateful that you are coming with me, Aberdeen.”

“That's what friends are for,” he offered as they left the barn and headed west.

~~~~~

About an hour later, the two cats had journeyed less than a kilometer from where they had originally started. Aberdeen abruptly stopped and turned to face her. “We should be getting close to the portal. According to what Hobbes told me last night, another hundred or so meters and we will have found it.”

“Hobbes?” Minka asked.

“He's a buddy of mine, and spends a lot of time alone trying to calculate the meaning of life. His human is a computer wiz and that sort of knowledge tends to rub off on a cat,” Aberdeen explained.

“Did this Hobbes say specifically what would happen when we found the portal?” Minka asked.

“Yes, we actually looked into the testimonials of other cats who have journeyed there and they basically said that it was a piece of cake,” Aberdeen said encouragingly. “First, he said that you would start to feel a strange sort of pull against your body and your fur will eventually stand on end. It's sort of like what happens when you get too close to a running vacuum cleaner.”

Minka cringed at the analogy. She had always been terrified of the vacuum, and it was not necessarily because of the suction, although that was bad enough. The truth was that the noise they made always hurt her ears. “Anything else?” She asked, not sure if she wanted to hear what his response was going to be.

“Not much besides that,” Aberdeen said. “Hobbes said that it will draw you into an alternate reality; sort of like being stuck in a world between the worlds.”

“What do you mean by that,” Minka asked as she felt a slight breeze blowing against her short bluish gray colored fur. “Should I resist this pull?”

“No, let it draw you in,” Aberdeen said firmly. “Don't be scared, Minka. If we lose contact, just let yourself be drawn into the new place and we'll see each other there. Once we get there, we should see a bunch white cat-sized buildings in a large courtyard. That is where the Cat Bureau will be.”

Minka nodded nervously. “O-okay.”

“Before we go, though there is something that I need to tell you,” he began. “I wanted to tell you last night, but you had already fallen asleep. That is, you only know a part of the information that Hobbes and I uncovered.”

“A part?”

“Yes, after you muttered 'Japan', you drifted off to sleep before I could tell you the rest.”

“What else was there?”

“Not too much that affects us directly, but Hobbes and I found out that this place where we are going is also described as being a 'refuge for creations',” he said.

“Creations?” Minka asked. “I don't understand.”

“Creations are another word for 'objects with a soul',” Aberdeen explained. “I never thought that such things really existed, but I suppose we'll soon find out. The point is, I think that perhaps we may encounter some of these creations when we arrive at the Cat Bureau.”

Minka nodded as they continued their journey on one side of a two-lane road.

Within seconds, as Aberdeen had predicted, a portal suddenly appeared and the two cats felt themselves drawn into it.

Minka opened her mouth with the intention of screaming, but no sound emerged, or if it had, nothing was heard. She clamped her eyes closed as she felt herself being pulled into it. To her, it felt rather like being sucked in through a tube.

Seconds later, the two of them were magically transported across time and space and into a strange new world.

Opening her eyes slowly, Minka noticed that she and Aberdeen had, in fact, arrived safely.

Looking around, the small gray colored cat noticed that the street was lined with cobblestones and had colorful little buildings that extended on either side of it. Wide steps extended down to where they were and Aberdeen got up on his hind legs and began to climb them.

Upon seeing that no humans were in sight, Minka got up on her hind legs as well and started to follow his lead until they reached a courtyard.

“What time do you suppose it is?” Minka asked.

“No idea,” Aberdeen said. “Hobbes told me that in Japan it was ten hours ahead of us back home.” He glanced towards the sky. “Stands to reason, it looks like dusk is about to be upon us.”

As he was speaking, they reached the end of the street and found themselves in a strange circular shaped courtyard. Along the perimeters of it, pastel colored buildings were placed, their fronts facing the two visitors. In the middle, a stone crow gargoyle statue was majestically at the top of a white colored pedestal.

Minka stared at the crow in absolute awe. She had always been scared of birds, but this one seemed to emanate grace and dignity that was not typical of an ordinary crow.

“There is something magical, yet familiar, about this place,” Minka whispered as she continued to stare at the crow's magnificent wingspan. She clasped her front paws together as her gaze shifted from the crow to the small green and white colored house that was in the very center of the courtyard. Without thinking of what she was doing, she stepped even closer to the house, but not before Aberdeen noticed that her paws were trembling.

_She's such a brave cat,_ he thought as prisms of light began to flicker around the courtyard. This seemed to coincide with the fact that the sun was setting beyond the buildings.

Without thinking about what he was doing, Aberdeen rushed towards the house with the intention of protecting his friend. What he did not expect was for a white paw to touch his shoulder, thus stopping him dead in his tracks. He turned around and faced the cat who was now standing directly behind him. The cat was larger in stature than Aberdeen was and the splash of brown that covered his left ear, made him a rather intimidating sight indeed.

“Who are you?” The white cat demanded. “And who's that; your daughter?”

“No, she's just a friend,” he began. “Her name is Minka and I'm Aberdeen.” He paused and taking a deep breath, continued. “We'd like audience with the Cat Bureau if that's possible.”

“What business brings you here?” The white cat asked.

“It's not really my business, it's Minka's,” Aberdeen said, clearly holding his ground. “When she's ready, she'll talk about it.”

“In other words, you don't know,” the white cat shot back.

“Not very much, but I do know enough. Right now I am simply not at liberty to discuss it,” Aberdeen responded. “Do you know where the Cat Bureau is?”

“Yes, you've found it, I'm Muta and Baron's inside doing his cheesy light show again,” he grumbled as he waved his paw towards where Minka was standing and staring up at the house.

Just then, the elaborate lights vanished and the lights came on inside the house. Seconds passed before the double doors opened and a cat dressed in a white tuxedo, matching top hat, crimson vest, and blue bow tie emerged from the house.

Ignoring Muta's words, Aberdeen made his way over to where Minka was still standing and staring at the handsome cat now towering over her.

“Are you with the Cat Bureau?” Aberdeen asked before the ivory and orange colored cat could so much as utter a sound.

“This is Baron,” Muta offered. “He runs the show here.”

The elegantly dressed cat nodded as he looked at the new arrivals. “Welcome to the Bureau,” he began.

Minka raised her head, her eyes widening as she stared up at him. _That's Humbert's voice,_ she thought, the shock now evident in her eyes. _I would recognize it anywhere even though I figured that I would never hear it again._

As her legs began to tremble, she crumbled to the ground in a heap.

This left Aberdeen, Muta, and Baron staring at her in utmost surprise. After several moments, Baron was the first to react. He wordlessly reached down and picked Minka up off the ground and carried her into the house.

Aberdeen and Muta eventually followed.

“She was really tired last night,” Aberdeen offered. “But, she seemed more than determined to find her friend.” He paused. “Given her response just now, maybe she already did.” He stared at Baron's retreating back, before slowly entering the house.

Once Baron had laid Minka on the sofa and had straightened out, Aberdeen spoke. “Does she know you?”

“I don't know, I've never seen her before,” Baron offered. “If I did know her, then I would have remembered.”

“Maybe not,” Aberdeen mused. “Although it is rather strange for me to say this, but I also sense something familiar about you. Not something worth fainting over, but just something that I remember my father talking about before his death. Would you mind telling me your name?”

“Not at all, I'm Baron Humbert von Gikkingen.”

Aberdeen nodded. “Well, if that's the case, then I do believe that you are the one that Minka journeyed here to find.”


	9. Words and Actions

**Chapter 9: Words and Actions**

The day after his dialogue with Madeline and his wife, Michael von Gikkingen entered the kitchen. He had been awake much of the night and even after having gone to bed at a reasonable hour, it was overtly clear that he had not slept a wink.

Heinrich was in the kitchen working when Michael came in. The butler had been drying the last of the breakfast dishes and was in the process of putting them into the cupboard.

Instead of initially speaking to his employee, the younger man simply went over to the table and sat down, his body literally dropping into a chair. After several moments, he raised his head and spoke, his voice momentarily distracting the butler from the task at hand. “Heinrich?”

“Yes?” The older man responded before turning completely around. As he did, his expression shifted from that of intense concentration to concern. “Sir, are you alright?” He asked, thus taking note of his employer's disheveled state.

“I'm alright,” Michael began. “It's really nothing that a strong black coffee won’t cure.”

Heinrich nodded as he went over to the coffee machine and began pushing various buttons. When it started brewing some coffee, he turned and faced the baron. “You didn’t sleep, did you?”

When Michael did not respond to the butler's inquiry, Heinrich continued, his voice filled with empathy. “Not to worry, Sir, your coffee will be ready in a few minutes. Is there anything else you would like?”

“No, but thank you,” a pause. “I don't know if I said this before but I honestly don’t know what I would do without you.”

“You would manage, M'lord, the machine is really quite easy to operate,” Heinrich said with a soft chuckle.

“No, I don't just mean the coffee,” Michael objected. “What I mean is, you’ve been more than just a butler to us, Heinrich, you’ve also been a friend. And right now, maybe what I really need is a friend who will tell me that I am grasping at straws.”

“Is this about Humbert?” Heinrich asked.

“Yes,” Michael said. He glanced towards the door to make certain that no one was coming into the room. Seeing that it remained closed, he turned back around and continued speaking. “What if Ian had been telling the truth all along? What if I'm just in denial about all this and Humbert is really dead?”

“What does your conscience tell you?” Heinrich asked.

“You already know the answer to that,” Michael responded.

As Heinrich studied the baron's face, he realized how much pain the man was in. He reached over and rested a wrinkled hand on his employer's shoulder. “Then why are you doubting?” He asked gently.

“I don't really know,” Michael confessed. “Perhaps it's has to do with something that your granddaughter told me only yesterday.”

“What did she say?”

“She affirmed something that I had suspected all along,” Michael said, his voice intentionally low. “She told me that a...a cat told her that Ian was behind Humbert's disappearance.”

“You didn't want to believe what she said, but it was enough to keep you up all night,” Heinrich said with a nod.

“I fear that I would be crazy to admit that...” Michael began.

“...But, what if it had been me or Eleanor who had overheard something, then what? Would you have doubted either of us? Perhaps your doubt lies in the fact that Madeline is a little girl...”

“...An imaginative little girl,” Michael interrupted.

Heinrich took a deep breath. “Children are gifted with fantasy and I think you must keep in mind that if my granddaughter affirmed the very same things you have suspected, then her words hold merit. Perhaps, it is time to look beyond her age and level of experience and see the truth for what it is.” 

“I know you're right, but I keep asking myself what would happen or how would Rose and I feel if this attempt at finding Humber failed?” Michael pondered. “It would completely devastate her.”

“It would devastate you as well, M'lord,” Heinrich said. “I believe that you stand a good chance at succeeding. It is perhaps not any of my business, but I think you owe it to your family to try.”

“Even still, we may essentially run the risk of losing Humbert all over again,” Michael said softly as a stray tear slipped from beneath one of his eyes and he tried to swipe it a way before Heinrich would see it.

“Are you pondering this because you might have a possible lead?” Heinrich asked.

“Yes, although I do realize that it might be a rather long shot,” Michael said. “It could turn out to be nothing more than a group of coincidences.”

“Are you familiar with the quotation: 'A coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous'?” Heinrich asked. When Michael shook his head, he continued. “It's a plausible quote for what we are discussing. Regardless of that, I do seem to recall a moment when you said that you would be willing to try anything, no matter how crazy it sounded to the rest of us. Perhaps this is a chance for you to follow through with that particular promise. If you do not pursue it, then I know for a fact that you will one day regret not having done it when you had the chance.”

Without waiting for Michael to respond, the butler calmly got to his feet and walked over to the coffee machine in order to retrieve the mug. Once he held it in his hand, he reached for a spoon, before making his way back over to the table. Once there, he placed both items in front of his employer.

“Thank you,” the baron said as he picked up the mug and took a sip. Swallowing, he returned the cup to the table and regarded the older man through tired eyes. “Perhaps, it would be prudent for us to continue this conversation in the library.”

Heinrich nodded as he started to remove the apron he was wearing and draped it casually over the back of a vacated chair. “I suppose I can finish cleaning in here later,” he said as he began to roll down the sleeves of his pressed white shirt. Finishing this, he grabbed his suit jacket and waited for Michael to stand up.

Instead of expecting Heinrich to carry the steaming cup of coffee, Michael grabbed it and started to make his way over towards the door leading out into the hallway.

As they emerged from the kitchen they immediately noticed that the hallway was empty. This came as a relief to Michael since he was not keen on the idea of another confrontation with Ian.

Once they had reached the thick wooden door that led into the library, Michael opened it and they entered the large room. Once inside, Heinrich closed the door and watched as Michael went over to a sofa and seated himself.

Instead of immediately sitting down, Heinrich found his attention shifting to the books that were placed in shelves, which lined three of the four walls. This was an ideal place for them to talk privately since eavesdropping seemed almost impossible. The bookshelves were laden down with heavy books and manuscripts, and each of the walls just behind them were conveniently covered with thick wooden paneling. The doors leading into the study and out into the hallway were also made from solid oak wood.

Michael watched as the butler approached a shelf of books and began to inspect them closely, no doubt seeking out a possible dusting project. “Are you looking for something?”

“No, M’lord,” Heinrich responded somewhat distracted as he turned away from the shelves. It was clear that the butler had no idea about what was going to happen next. He could only stand and wait for Michael to explain why it was he wanted to speak in a safer location.

“Heinrich,” the baron eventually spoke the older man’s name and patiently waited for him to come over and seat himself next to him on the sofa. When the butler finally approached, he continued. “Perhaps an explanation is in order. You do recall my mentioning in the kitchen that I spoke with your granddaughter yesterday. To say the least, the conversation was quite interesting.”

“She’s not in any trouble, is she?” Heinrich asked, his expression shifting to that of concern. “I have told her time and again that she should not disturb you.”

“She was by no means a disturbance,” Michael said. “In fact, our conversation is what I would like to discuss with you.” As these words filled the room, the baron clasped both of his hands together. “I have decided to go out on a limb here and I hope that you will not take me to be a complete lunatic. Would you be willing to hear me out?”

“Of course, but I would never reach that sort of conclusion about you,” Heinrich said, his words laced in matter-of-fact undertones.

Michael nodded. “Thank you, but you may not be so adamant about that particular assertion when I tell you what it is I have in mind.”

“Just tell me,” Heinrich said. “You have already sparked my curiosity; particularly if it involves Madeline.”

“Indeed it does involve her,” Michael began. “Perhaps I ought to apologize to you for having mentioned this decision to her before consulting you. It was a rather rash decision on my part.”

“What decision are you speaking of?” Heinrich asked.

Michael took a deep breath as he looked at the butler. “I will be booking a flight to Japan to search for Humbert and I would very much appreciate it if you and Madeline were to accompany us.”

“Why Madeline?” Heinrich asked.

“The real reason is because I want to have her nearby,” Michael said simply. “I fear that she might find herself in danger if she were to stay here without neither Rose nor myself around.”

“You mean because of Ian and Steven?” Heinrich asked. When Michael nodded, he continued. “Perhaps you should not have made that offer to Madeline before talking it over with me.”

Michael nodded. “You're right.”

“So, what did you tell her exactly?” Heinrich asked. “Please don't tell me that you said you feared for her?”

“No, I told her that since it was rumored that my son had been turned into a cat and sent to Japan, I needed someone who could speak to cats in their language,” Michael confessed as he picked up his coffee and took a sip. Returning it to the table, he continued. “Heinrich, I do have my reservations about what Madeline has claimed, but I believe that there stands a chance that Humbert might actually be there.”

“I see,” Heinrich began, but he clearly did not see the connection. He hoped that Michael would offer clarification, and quickly. “Is there something else that makes you believe this?”

“I'm not really sure, but I can tell you that last night, while Madeline was speaking with Rose and myself, I received an email from a young lady in Japan. For some strange reason, this may have rekindled my hope that we will find Humbert safe and sound.”

“I have no reason to doubt you, Sir, but I am not really certain if my daughter and son-in-law would approve of us taking their child halfway around the world,” Heinrich said honestly. 

“I know,” Michael said. “And believe me when I tell you, I understand them perhaps better than anyone else could.”

The butler nodded as he looked at Michael. “I will call my daughter and ask her if she would allow Madeline to come with us.”

Michael nodded and motioned towards the phone that was on a table in the corner of the room. “Do you think they would be at home?”

Heinrich nodded. “I think so, but please don't be angry if they decline.”

“I won't be,” Michael said. “Does Madeline have a passport?”

“Yes, she always has it with her in the event something comes up,” Heinrich said.

Michael nodded and watched as the butler got to his feet and went over to a large desk. There, he picked up the phone and began to dial a series of numbers.

Figuring that it would take some time, the lord of the manor decided to slip quietly into his study and check his email messages. Approaching where Heinrich was now standing, he silently pointed to the adjacent door, thus indicating that he would be gone for a few moments.

Once the butler had nodded, Michael slipped quietly from the room.

~~~~~

After about ten minutes, he returned to hear the sounds of the butler’s voice as he spoke into the phone.

“…Yes, Sylvia, Madeline has her passport here, and I will not let her out of my sight,” he was saying as Michael went over and seated himself on the sofa. “No, honey, I would not ask you this favor if it wasn’t important.” The baron watched as the older man nodded and then extended the phone in the direction of where he was seated. “Sir, she wants to speak with you for a moment.”

Instead of responding verbally, Michael placed two pieces of paper on the coffee table before standing up and walking over to the older man. Reaching him, he accepted the offered receiver, but covered it with one hand. “What should I tell her?” He asked “I really have no idea about what I’m supposed to say.”

“I think she is concerned more about the financial repercussions of this trip,” Heinrich said. “It’s a natural feeling as my family hails from a rather modest background.”

Michael nodded as he accepted the phone. “Mrs. Summer?”

“Yes,” emerged the soft response and Michael found himself smiling. It was so strange how Madeline’s mother’s voice sounded so similar to the child’s.

Instead of commenting on this, he tried to collect his thoughts. “I take it your father informed you of our intentions?” He eventually asked.

“Yes, he did,” she said. “But, I don’t know if I can agree or consent to this trip. It sounds rather crazy to me.”

“You have reservations because of the distance from here to Japan, correct?” Michael asked.

“Wouldn’t you?” She asked directly.

“I would, yes, but that is specifically why it is your father wanted to discuss it with you first,” he responded.

“Well, with all due respect, I don’t think a responsible parent would ever allow their child to go off like you are proposing. We agreed that Madeline could come and stay with her grandfather during her breaks from school. We did not consent to her traveling halfway around the world.”

“I understand,” he responded. “That’s why we wanted to ask you first. It would be wrong if us to take her with us without your knowledge or consent. I can assure you and your husband that she would be in the best of hands.”

“I appreciate that, but even if we were to allow her to make this trip, there exists other factors as to why I feel rather awkward about it.”

Michael took a deep breath, but before he could respond, she continued. “I understand that my father would have to go with you as part of his job, but my daughter is only a child, and we have no means in which to pay for her to travel so far away.”

Michael nodded. “I have every intention of paying your daughter's passage, Mrs. Summer. No one here expects anything from you, except perhaps your allowance.”

Seconds later, Michael could hear her sighing at the end of the line, but when she did not speak, he finally did. “Mrs. Summer?”

After another minute passed, she responded. “I suppose if she is with her grandfather, then we cannot argue.” As she spoke, her voice cracked. “But, I want to know specifics about where you are going and what you will be doing.”

“Then you will permit her to come with us?” Michael asked.

“Yes,” she whispered. “But, I want to be able to reach my father regardless of what time it is there. That's not asking a lot, is it?”

“Of course not,” Michael said. “I promise you that I will take care of everything. May I make an unrelated inquiry, though?”

“Of course,” the woman responded, but her voice was indicative that she had no idea what he intended on asking.

“This has confused me for some time now,” he began. “Your father’s surname is Summer, and your and Madeline’s last name is Summer as well. How can that be?”

After several seconds, Michael suddenly heard laughter at the other end of the line. He waited for several moments until Sylvia had recovered and managed to speak. “You’d be surprised at how often I get asked that question. My husband’s birth name is Jonathan Fanny and he was tormented a lot as a child because of it.”

“Children can sometimes be very cruel,” Michael said.

“Yes, and quite frankly, I don’t think anyone would have taken me seriously had I taken his name and started to introduce myself as ‘Sylvia Fanny’. So, when John and I got married, we did something rather unorthodox; we made the decision to take on my family name instead of his. I was pregnant with Madeline at the time, and I could not imagine bringing a child into this world with the surname ‘Fanny’.”

“Smart move,” Michael said with a chuckle.

“We thought so,” Sylvia responded, but took a deep breath. “I suppose I should be grateful to you for showing my daughter a part of the world that she would otherwise never get to see. John and I cannot afford to take Madeline on those sorts of holidays. The most we can do is periodically drive up to Glasgow or down to London. Perhaps, this will come across as strange to you, but Madeline has never even been up in a plane before.”

Michael nodded. “I understand your concerns, and between your father and myself, we will send you every last piece of information about this as soon as we have it. You have my word of honor on that.”

“Thank you, Baron von Gikkingen…” she began.

“…No, Michael, my name is Michael,” he interrupted. “I will be in touch, Sylvia.”

With that he handed the phone back to Heinrich.

After about five minutes, the butler hung up the phone and looked at him, a smile stretching its way across his aged face. “She finds you to be very kind, M’lord.”

“I find her to be quite delightful as well, Heinrich, but the good news is she has consented to Madeline taking the trip,” Michael responded.

“I’m rather glad that she trusts you enough to allow Madeline to come along. It would have been rather hard for both of us to tell her that she has to stay home.”

Michael nodded as he took a deep breath before going over to the coffee table and retrieving the two pieces of paper. These he extended to the older man. “Perhaps you ought to have a look at this.”

“What is it?” Heinrich asked.

“It's a copy of a letter that Humbert sent to his pen friend in Japan some months before he disappeared. Her daughter found it and sent it to me thinking that it might help.”

Heinrich nodded and began to read. After several moments had passed, he lowered the letter and looked at Michael. “I think going to Japan is the best idea you’ve had, Sir.”

“Right now, it’s the only idea I have,” he said with a casual shrug of his shoulders. “Once I manage to get all the paperwork taken care of, I will call this young lady and let her know that we are coming.”

Heinrich nodded as he looked down at the second page of the message. “She sent her number and given what she said, I am certain that she will help you in any way she can.”

Michael nodded as he led the butler into the adjacent room.

By this time, Heinrich’s chores in the kitchen had been long forgotten.


	10. The Crossroads

**Chapter 10: The Crossroads**

It was late in the afternoon when Haru returned from the grocery store to hear the sound of the telephone ringing in the living room. She was not expecting a call and figured it was not important since Hiromi was probably out with Tsuge and her mother was still at her daily workshop.

If truth be known, the young woman was not really in the mood to talk with any of the pupils from school since she already had made plans for the evening. She had decided that once dusk would fall, she would walk to the crossroads and see if Muta was around. After everything she had read in Humbert's letters, she knew beyond any doubt that she needed to see Baron, or at the very least, make some sort of attempt at finding the Cat Bureau.

When the ringing once again disrupted her contemplations, she threw off her shoes and practically stumbled through the front door and into the house. The cloth bags she carried were abruptly dropped in the hall as she hastened to the telephone.

Reaching it, she grabbed the receiver, placed it against her ear, and spoke, her voice somewhat out of breath. “Hello?”

“Is this Miss Haru Yoshioka?” A distinctly British sounding voice emerged from the other end of the line.

“Yes, it is,” she said, but as her words emerged, she unconsciously placed a hand over her chest as a means to calm her racing heart.

“This is Michael von Gikkingen calling from England. Is this a bad time?” He asked, but in his elegant sounding voice there were traces of concern that her response might be 'yes'.

Before she could actually answer, he continued. “I'm dreadfully sorry if I reached you at an inappropriate moment.”

“No, it's alright, I just got home from the store is all,” she offered freely as she walked back in the direction of the front door and picked up the bags with her free hand. Kicking the door closed, she felt a yawn escaping from between her lips and quickly excused herself. “Sorry about that, I didn't get much sleep last night and am still a bit tired.”

“Were you up reading the letters from my son?” He asked.

“Yes,” she said. “After going to sleep at around six this morning, I woke up about five hours later and started reading through some more of them. I must admit, your son could have been writer. Most of the ones I read sounded like they came straight out of a novel. I had a hard time stopping once I started reading.”

“Yes, he had always loved writing. I believe it was because when he was just a boy, he and his grandmother would have letter writing contests to see who could write the longest letter. I think their record was sixteen pages.”

“That sounds like a wonderful contest,” Haru said honestly.

“Yes it was and the letters he wrote filled my mother's heart with joy,” Michael said with laughter in his voice. Seconds passed and he cleared his throat and continued speaking, this time changing the subject. “I wanted to tell you that I appreciate you emailing the copy of his letter. It was very considerate of you to take the time to respond to my letter.”

“If we had gotten it sooner, we would have written before now,” she said automatically.

“Of that I have no doubt,” he said.

“What I really can't understand is why it took so long for your letter to arrive here in the first place.”

“I have no idea,” he said. “I posted it just after the Christmas holidays and figured that it would arrive faster without the holiday rush.”

“Maybe other people were thinking the same thing,” she offered.

“Perhaps.”

“My mother said that she was sorry that she could not write you directly, but after the letter arrived she had to leave for an important seminar.” As if anticipating his next question, she continued. “She will be gone for a week.”

“I understand,” Michael said. “Then we are monumentally grateful to you for your offered assistance then.”

Unconsciously, Haru shrugged her shoulders, but after a moment of silence had passed, she found her voice and spoke. “I don't think I did very much. I merely offered to do this in my mother's place since she was unable to.”

“Yes, but that alone is a very kind gesture,” he responded. “Not only that, but the fact that you included your telephone number in your last email message. It was something that no one else bothered to do. It is for that reason that I thought I ought to contact you directly and let you know that I have booked a flight for us to come to Tokyo to continue our search.”

“Y-you're coming here?” She asked.

“Yes,” he responded. “My wife, a couple of friends, and myself are flying out first thing Monday morning and should arrive there at noon on Tuesday, Tokyo time.”

“I can probably meet you at the airport, since I'm on break from school right now,” she offered. “Perhaps I can translate for you, although I must admit that my abilities are far from that of a professional.”

“That would be greatly appreciated, since none of us speak Japanese,” Michael said.

Haru took a deep breath as she felt silence literally swallowing her whole. For some reason, it was at that moment that she started to contemplate the implications of what had just been said. She was speaking to someone who professed to being Baron's father. This left her filled with far more uncertainty than she was willing to admit.

After several moments of silence had passed, Michael's voice suddenly emerged. “Are you still there?”

“Yes, I was just thinking about something,” she responded.

“What might that be?”

“Nothing that I can really explain,” she began.

“Is it about Humbert?” He asked.

“Yes,” she said before taking a deep breath. It was then that she decided to tell him some of what she had been thinking about. “Last night while I was reading over one of Humbert's letters, I sort of noticed that there were things that he said that made me feel as though he was addressing me and not my mother. I know that this sounds silly, but that's how it felt.”

“It doesn't sound silly at all, it sounds honest,” he said, his voice laced in gentility. “You were touched by his letter in the very same way that he touched many people in real life. It doesn't surprise me that through his words, Humbert left an impact on you as well.”

_If you only knew to what extent,_ Haru thought sadly to herself as she brushed a hand down over her blouse and sighed sadly. Deep down inside, she knew precisely what Michael von Gikkingen was saying, but she also knew that there was no feasible way for her to tell this man about what had happened the year before.

Moments passed before Michael continued. “I imagine that my son was very much of the same character as depicted in the letters that he wrote and sent to your mother. Sadly, he disappeared before he had a chance to finish his thesis.”

“I'm sorry,” Haru found her voice. “I had no idea.”

“I know,” he said. “Miss Haru...”

“...No, it's just Haru,” she interrupted. “I'm not big on formalities.”

“Nor am I,” he said. “With that said, might I ask a favor of you?”

“Sure.”

“Would you address me as 'Michael'?” He asked. “Perhaps it may seem strange to you, but I simply prefer it. Far too many people still insist on addressing me by my title.”

“Y-your title?” She repeated, her voice barely audible.

“Yes, you see, I am in fact, Baron Michael von Gikkingen.” A pause. “In many instances, that intimidates people, so I generally prefer them to not know of it.”

_He's a baron?_ Haru's mind begin to whirl about as she sat down on the arm of the sofa and silently waited for Michael to continue speaking.

“I am not certain if you were aware of this, or if Humbert ever spoke of it in the letters, but he is to be the next in line for the title. That is if we are able to find him.”

“We will find him,” Haru said before she was able to stop herself. At that moment, and with all her uncertainties cast aside, she was now determined to go to the Refuge and find Baron.

“I truly do appreciate your optimism,” he said.

Haru took a deep breath and instead of commenting further on her intentions, she spoke of his. “Since you are coming, is there anything that I can do to help? Perhaps arrange for you a place to stay?”

“No, that won't be necessary, I have already arranged lodging for us, but I wanted to contact you before I did anything else,” he said.

“That's very nice of you,” she offered sincerely. “I only hope that I will be able to assist you when you do arrive.”

“You already have, Haru,” he said. “More than you know.”

As Haru heard a soft sigh at the other end of the line, she could feel the goosebumps creeping up her arms. In lieu of a response, she suddenly heard him continue. “I will be emailing you the information about our trip as soon as I have it. In the meantime, I look forward to meeting you.”

“Me too,” Haru began. “That is, I look forward to meeting you as well.”

“Thank you, and I wish you a good day,” he responded, not commenting on the fact that her last statement sounded remotely like a parrot.

“You too,” Haru said.

_Oh my God,_ she thought once she had hung up the phone. _Baron's parents are coming here._ She cast a glance around the room and sighed when she saw that the room was something of a mess. _I will have to do a lot of cleaning and getting things ready to at least have them visit and look over the letters. But, for now, I really do need to go to the Cat Bureau._

She returned to the kitchen and began to put the groceries away in record time. As soon as she finished, she raced up the stairs to her bedroom in order to change clothes. _Now I really have to find Muta,_ she thought as she grabbed her favorite olive green shirt and white skirt from the closet. Once she had gotten changed and managed to rake a brush through her dark brown hair, she grabbed a small purse and left the room. The letters, she intentionally left in her room.

As she was leaving the house, she desperately hoped that when she arrived at the crossroads, that Muta would actually be lounging there.

~~~~~

The crossroads were situated in the center of the south central section of Tokyo. There were many shopping districts in the vast metropolitan city, but the area where she was going was the most familiar to her.

The crossroad was situated along two long intersecting streets, both of which had very dense traffic. For this reason, whenever she would go and do her shopping, she would always do so on foot. Along both street sides were shopping centers and cafés. These were easily accessible to pedestrians and she could get everything she needed in one quick outing.

Haru silently made her way along the busy street, her body dodging between busy shoppers. She found herself smiling slightly as she walked, but this was by no means a happy smile. She was worried about what would happen once she saw Baron.

One thing was abundantly clear, she missed him like crazy, but she wondered if he missed her as well. She had, during the course of the past year, tried to find some reason to go and see Baron, but there was none. Algebra tests or a research paper on Romeo and Juliet seemed hardly the rationale for her to darken the doorway of the Cat Bureau. This did not stop her from wishing that something, anything, would merit her returning to the quaint A-frame house.

The early evening breeze continued to waft through her hair, and she found herself shivering slightly despite the jacket she wore. Further down the street, she saw the place where she had rescued Prince Lune from the truck that had been barreling down the street.

Despite everything, she found herself staring at that particular spot and wondering if history was going to repeat itself.

As it were, there was not a cat in sight, which surprised her because the city usually was teeming with strays.

Instead of daydreaming about that day long ago, Haru continued to walk until she reached the end of the street. There, on one corner, a large department store beckoned visitors to come inside and have a look at their wares. Some did, while others passed by without so much as a thought or word.

Seconds after crossing the street, she reached the crossroads and started to look around for Muta. For whatever reason, the young brunette did not anticipate finding the fat cat, but still, she continued to walk towards the café. Reaching it, she noticed straightaway that most of the chairs were either occupied with customers or empty. There was not a sign of the large white cat anywhere.

“Muta?” She called out his name, but the only response that she received were blank stares from several of the café patrons. She smiled slightly and continued further down the street.

_Maybe this was not such a good idea after all,_ she thought as she made her way in the direction that she thought would lead her to the Cat Bureau.

After some moments, she felt something brushing against her leg and she looked down to see a cat standing at her feet.

The animal's head was facing the direction she was going, and its tail was erect. It was as though he was trying to show her the way, or somehow knew where she intended on going. After some moments, a distinctly familiar voice could be heard amidst the early evening hustle and bustle.

“Hello Haru, I see we meet again.”

The brunette swallowed the surprise that literally engulfed her as the cat turned around and she saw his very familiar face. “Lune, is that you?”


	11. Deep Magic

**Chapter 11: Deep Magic**

Silence greeted her inquiry, but after several moments, the cat nodded. “Yes, you are quite right.”

“What are you doing here?” She asked.

He smiled secretly as he cast a glace around the area where they were standing. “Perhaps it would be a good idea for us to speak elsewhere. Right now the people are looking at you strangely.”

“Stands to reason since most of them don't speak 'cat',” Haru whispered.

“That is very true,” Lune said as he motioned with one paw in the direction of a nearby alleyway. When she nodded, he started to make his way in that direction, only stopping to make certain that she was following. When he saw that she was, he quickened his pace.

Reaching a secluded area some moments later and realizing that they were alone, he got up on his hind legs and walked several steps before stopping and looking down at himself. “My goodness, every time I come to your world, my feet always get so dirty.” He began to brush his front paws down over his body in the very same manner he had done after she had saved his life a year ago.

Haru smiled briefly at the memory, but shrugged her shoulders. “I never really thought all that much about it since I usually go out wearing shoes.” Instead of remaining on her feet, she found a small group of stairs, and sat down before looking over at him.

“That is not such a bad idea,” Lune confirmed. “Perhaps shoes would be most helpful.”

“Maybe not, cats in this world don't usually wear shoes,” Haru giggled. After some moments had passed, the laughter died away and she took a deep breath. “So how have you been?” She asked, trying to keep her voice casual. She had started to ponder whether their unexpected meeting was mere coincidence, or if there was some reason behind it that she was not yet aware of.

“I am doing quite well, actually,” he began. “Yuki and I got married last year.”

“That's wonderful,” Haru said with a smile. “Is your father still ruling?”

“No, he retired soon after you left.”

“Escaped, you mean,” Haru said somewhat sourly. “Please don't get me wrong, but that experience is one that I will personally never forget. I cringe to think of what would have happened had you and Yuki not shown up when you did. I guess I did not anticipate going from being your bride to your mother-in-law in a span of five seconds.”

Lune chuckled. “It was not something I anticipated either. But do rest assured that I have tried to improve the approval ratings of the royal family. There were many subjects who believed that I was as crazy as my father.”

“You're not,” Haru said as she looked down at her lap. After some moments had passed she looked into the mismatched eyes of the monarch. “So what are you doing here anyway?” Before he could offer an answer, she continued. “Please do not tell me that you are here with the intention of repeating history.”

“I should most certainly hope not,” he responded with a smile. When she did not return it, he continued. “You do seem to have something on your mind, and I am wont to say that it is not about the internal psychology of my family, correct?”

“No, it's not, but don't worry about me,” she said.

“Is that not what friends do?” Lune asked.

“I guess so, but considering that it's been a year since we last saw each other, I didn't want to use our 'catch up time' whining about my problems.”

“Perhaps, but is there anything I might do to assist you?”

“Maybe there is something,” she mused, but after a moment's hesitation, her next question emerged. “Can you help me find the Cat Bureau?” Before he could respond, she continued. “After I followed Muta there last year, I realized that I had missed all the landmarks because I was worried and afraid.”

“That would be no trouble, Lune said. “Among other things, Yuki has told me a great many things about the Cat Bureau.” He paused. “My father, on the other hand, has kept silent, and that has propelled me to do research on its history. What I discovered was a tragic story indeed.”

“Does this have anything to do with Baron's origins?” Haru asked.

“Sadly, it does,” Lune responded. “Baron Humbert von Gikkingen was not always a figurine and he was not always the owner of the Cat Bureau. The presence of the Refuge was created through magic, and today it has evolved into a beacon of hope for those trapped in strange and mysterious situations.”

“Like I was?”

“Precisely,” he nodded. “Ironically, the one who needs it the most is the one who runs it. It has been said in our folk tales that Baron von Gikkingen was, among other things, a victim of powerful and unforeseeable magic.”

Haru shifted her weight and tried to make herself comfortable so she could continue to listen to the monarch's words. _Perhaps this was the reason why I found Lune out here, to discover what he knows about Baron's past,_ she thought.

Seconds later, Lune continued speaking. “I believe there exists rationale for everything that happens, and perhaps you met Baron for a reason.”

Haru nodded as she silently brushed her hand beneath her eyes and discovered the presence of moisture.

“I know that you are worried and afraid, but it is imperative that you know the truth before you go to the Bureau,” Lune continued.

“Maybe, but I can't help but think about last year when Baron promised me that if ever I needed him, I would always be able to find him. Right now I can only conclude that maybe he needs me more.” The brunette raised her head and looked into the mismatched eyes of the new Cat King. “Lune, do you remember how you felt right after you fell in love with Yuki?” She asked.

“All too well,” Lune said with a nod. “I sense that you carry similar feelings yourself, perhaps for the Baron von Gikkingen. Is that not so?”

Haru shook her head in denial. “No...I...” her voice trailed.

Lune smiled, but regarded her through an intent gaze. “You are not very good at lying, Haru.”

When she heard these words, her face flushed crimson as she lowered her head. “Okay, you're right, but, I know there's a lot more to all of this than the feelings I have for Baron.” She took a deep breath as she looked at him. “The truth is, everything has gotten so complicated. I'm not really sure you would believe me if I told you what I found out.”

Lune nodded. “Then perhaps I should tell you what I know. It is said that a story is best told from the beginning.” He leaned over and rested a paw on her hand. “I know that you can be trusted with it, as it could change Baron's life.”

“His life?” Haru whispered, her voice cracking nervously. “I thought it was just about some research you did.”

Lune shook his head. “No, there is much more. Do you recall the legend of Renaldo Moon and the disappearance of the fish in the lake?”

“Yes,” Haru nodded, a slight smile breaking through as she recalled Baron's shocked reaction.

“I am not certain if you are aware of this, but the walls and ceiling of the tower carried a great many stories and legends on it. When my father destroyed it, he thought he had a reason for doing away with one of his grave and foolish acts. He did not anticipate these tales being remembered by our elders or passed on to our young.”

“Let me get this straight, the Cat Bureau has been known for that long?” Haru asked. “I was under the impression that it's only been in existence for five years.”

“More like thirty-five years,” Lune said. “In the Cat Kingdom, a year in your life is seven there. Your experiences are a legend in the making.”

Haru grimaced. “I'm not so sure I like being a legend in cat folklore.”

“Sadly that cannot be changed,” he said with a slight smile. “I can assure you that your story is looked upon in a very positive way.” He paused. “Now, shall I tell you about what happened to Baron von Gikkingen?”

Haru nodded and waited for him to speak.

“The story actually began because of my father's influence and his wish to rule over the human world,” Lune began.

“Your father wanted to be a ruler here?” Haru asked.

“Yes, and he was looking for a means in which to exercise influence and control over those outside of his realm.” He paused as though warming up to the subject. “It was during this time when my father encountered someone who could speak with and understand him.”

“He did?” Haru asked. “But how?”

“Magic has a way of working in mysterious ways. When my father encountered this individual, he figured that he could exchange some of the Cat's Eye magic for an opportunity to influence the human world. What he did not anticipate was that that particular magic would not work outside of the Cat Kingdom.”

“What exactly is the Cat's Eye?” She asked.

“The Cat's Eye is a precious gemstone that my father wore during his reign. Just before you escaped, Baron somehow managed to destroy it. Before that, the gem possessed a great deal of power. The best way to explain is to remind you of what happened when you visited the Cat Kingdom and had been turned into a cat.”

“Was Baron ever in the Cat Kingdom?” Haru asked. “I mean before he came to help me.”

“No.”

“Then how could this Cat's Eye magic have any sort of affect on him? You said just now that it could not be used outside of the Cat Kingdom.”

“The answer is simple; the Cat's Eye magic was not used. In fact, there was another kind of magic that enabled the curse to be carried out. After Baron was transformed into a figurine, part of the curse demanded that he lose all memory of his former life.”

“Are you saying that he's got amnesia?” Haru asked. When Lune nodded, her next question emerged. “So that means that he was once a human...like me?”

“Yes, his fate was embedded in an agreement that was made between my father and his younger brother.”

“Ian,” Haru whispered, her voice emerging with more hostility than intended. _Maybe I should have brought the letters with me after all,_ she thought.

“Yes,” Lune responded. “But how did you know his name?”

“My mother was Humbert von Gikkingen's pen friend when they were younger and Baron spoke of him in his letters.”

“What did he say specifically?” Lune asked.

“Not very much, just that Baron was a bit apprehensive about his brother and was not sure as to why. He could tell that Ian didn't like him, but could not pin down anything specific.”

Lune nodded. “What else do you know?”

She shrugged her shoulders as she looked into the mismatched eyes of the cat. “Last night, a letter from Michael von Gikkingen arrived at our home. Because my mother had to leave on a business trip, I was asked to write him and let him know the letter was received. Before she left, I asked her if I could read some of the letters that he had sent to her and she said it was alright. Just before I came here, Michael called my house and told me that he would be coming to Tokyo to look for Baron.”

“Sadly, he will not find him until the curse gets broken,” Lune said earnestly.

“Could we do it?” Haru asked.

“I cannot do anything, the curse states clearly that no cat can break it. What you must do is try to help Baron remember his former life, but I fear that that will be very difficult,” Lune said. “I wish I could assist you, but most dark magic has stipulations affixed to it.”

“Great,” Haru muttered sarcastically. “Then we're back at square one.”

Lune took a deep breath and continued. “Not necessarily, there are powers beyond the kingdom that can assist in breaking any curse.”

“Is that why we crossed paths?” Haru asked. “For you to tell me that helping Baron is impossible?”

The cat shook his head sadly. “Our meeting was accidental, but it is one that I am quite pleased about. You asked me earlier why I had come back. The real reason is Yuki. She has run out of her favorite fish crackers again and asked me to retrieve some.”

“Then I'm glad that we did meet, but I still don't know if I can help Baron,” Haru whispered. “Maybe it would help if you were to tell me where specifically this curse came from.”

“What I do know of it is that it involves a deep and very ancient form of magic. In the early days of the Cat Kingdom, many of our ancestors used the inside pods of the cattail plant to perform magic. These were ground into a powder that was said to contain supernatural powers.”

“A cattail plant can do that?” Haru asked. “That's weird.”

“The cattail plants as native to the Cat Kingdom contain the potential for magic if harvested properly. The ones here do not have any magical components at all.” He paused. “Perhaps, I'm not explaining this very well as much of it is based on our folklore. My father always knew of these legends and he used them to his benefit when he was king.”

“So, maybe part of breaking the curse lies in knowing the history behind it,” Haru mused.

“That is possible,” Lune confirmed. “Haru, how familiar are you with fairy stories?”

“You mean like 'Snow White' or 'Cinderella'?” Haru asked.

“Yes,” Lune nodded.

“I read most of them when I was little, why?”

Lune took a deep breath. “The emotion of love is extremely powerful and I think it might help save him if you speak of your feelings towards him.”

Haru's face went white. “But, Lune, I told him a year ago that I had a crush on him, and that didn't change him back. He probably thought I was behaving like a lovesick teenager.”

Lune looked at her and dismissing it with a wave of his paw, he spoke. “A crush is not like love, Haru. Purest love may be the only thing to break this curse.”

“What makes you so certain I'm the one to do this?” She asked.

“You were willing to jump into a dangerous situation in order to preserve the life of a stranger. That is how I know,” he responded. “Perhaps it will take some time for you to accept or express these feelings. You must know that it is written in the very same legend that surrounds Baron that the love of another can change and alter all existing magic.”

“If I do tell him, then how will I know when the time is right?” Haru asked.

“You will know,” Lune said. “In the meantime, I shall lead you to the Cat Bureau, before I return home.”

The young woman nodded as she got to her feet and started to dust herself off. She watched as Lune stood up as well, this time walking on all fours as a cat in the human world would do.

They walked in silence for several moments, the cat leading the human through the alleyways and paths until they reached the now familiar courtyard.

Once there, he turned and looked at her. “I offer you this last bit of advice. You must trust yourself, Haru. That is how you got out of my kingdom once upon a time. That too, could help Baron find his way back to his former life.”

Nodding numbly, Haru swallowed. “Give Yuki my love,” she whispered.

Lune nodded and using his paw, he formed a circle. Haru watched as a familiar blue light started to grow until it was cat sized and he walked into it. Seconds later, the new Cat King had disappeared.

Swallowing nervously, the teenager started to make her way towards the Cat Bureau. She was now more nervous than she had been when she had left her home.

As she stepped into the open courtyard and spotted the familiar A-frame house, the words Lune had spoken were still echoing about in her head.


	12. In Truth

**Chapter 12: In Truth**

At the same moment Haru had been speaking with Lune, Minka slowly opened her eyes to discover that she was lying on a sofa inside a room filled with yellow and gold colored decorations. The small gray colored cat rubbed her face with a tiny paw before finding her voice and speaking. “Aberdeen?” She whispered. “Are you there?”

“I'm afraid not. Your friend stepped out for a time with Muta,” Baron's voice emerged and her yellow eyes widened as she scrambled to a sitting position. “Please don't worry, he will return soon. In the meantime, might I interest you in a cup of tea?”

Minka nodded and watched as he went over to the teapot that was placed on a Victorian style cupboard.

As he poured some of the hot liquid into a cup, he spoke, his voice cordial. “Milk or lemon in your tea?”

“Milk, please,” she responded and watched as he added a small amount of the white colored liquid to the cup before bringing it over to her. Once he had placed it on the table, she took a deep breath before hesitantly reaching for it. As soon as she wound her front paw around the cup's handle, she raised it to take a sip before returning it to the table. “It's very good,” she offered.

“It's my own special blend of tea,” he offered as he retrieved another cup and began preparing one for himself. Finishing, he walked over and seated himself in the high back chair that was adjacent to the sofa.

“I like it,” she offered. “It's different.” She watched as he got comfortable on the chair and took a sip of his tea before her next question emerged. “What exactly happened?”

“It's quite simple; you fainted,” Baron said as he placed his cup on the table and adjusted his gloves.

“I'm not the fainting type,” she responded.

Baron offered a slight smile before speaking. “Perhaps you are not, but you did.” He raised his head slightly and regarded her through a pair of familiar green eyes. “To answer your initial inquiry; after you fainted, I brought you inside. I must say that I am really quite relieved to see that you have come around.”

Minka looked down at her lap. The last thing she really wanted him to think was that she was some flighty damsel in distress. So instead of elaborating, she looked over at him. “I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you. Normally I don't faint.”

“It is really no trouble,” he affirmed. “Perhaps it was a good thing that I was there when you did.”

Minka nodded as she recalled the day so long ago when she had found sanctuary in Humbert von Gikkingen's quarters. It felt like so many years had passed, when in fact, in the human sense, it had only been a little more than five.

Moments later, she took a deep breath and spoke. “Is this the Cat Bureau?” She asked.

“Indeed it is,” he responded as he took yet another sip from his cup and placed it back on the table. “Now then, what can the Bureau do for you today?”

“I'm not really certain if the Bureau can help me,” she said honestly. “Initially, I was going to try and find the Cat Kingdom, but Aberdeen thought the Bureau would better serve my needs.” She paused. “The truth is, I only came here with the hope of finding you. No one told me that you were the one in charge of the Cat Bureau.”

“Was that the reason why you fainted?”

“Yes, I suppose it was,” she responded.

“Why are you searching for me?” Baron asked, his expression laced in confusion.

Minka took a deep breath and tried to calculate what exactly she was going to say. _How would he respond to the truth?_ She asked herself. _According to what Ian told his son, Baron has no memory of his former life whatsoever. For me to come in and tell him that he had another life back in England may not go over too terribly well._

Sighing, she eventually found her voice and spoke. “I'm not really certain if you would believe what I have to say, but I do owe you the truth. The problem is, I don't really know where to start.”

“Perhaps at the beginning.”

Minka nodded as she rubbed her front paws together and looked at Baron. She opted to speaking of their common past, instead of simply delving into his. “Would you believe me if I told you that we've met before?”

“No,” he responded with a shake of his head. “I would have recalled making your acquaintance.”

“You couldn't possibly remember every cat you've met,” she argued.

“Perhaps, you're right,” he conceded. “So, if we did meet, when and where did it happen?”

“It was a long time ago,” Minka began. “You may have forgotten, but I didn't, even though it happened when I was only a kitten.” She raised her head to see if there was any trace of acknowledgment. Seeing none, she continued, her soft voice imploring him. “Please, just look at me and tell me that you recall us having been friends.”

“Why is that so important to you?” He asked.

“It just is,” she said as she picked up her teacup and disappeared behind it. After taking another sip of her drink and swallowing it, she returned the cup to the table and continued. “It happened during a very turbulent time in my life. I had just come to the manor to live and soon after that, Eleanor, my mistress, became ill. It was during that time when you sheltered me and ultimately saved my life.”

“Your life? But, how is that possible?” Baron asked. “I never resided at any manor, I have always lived here.”

“No,” Minka said softly.

“Yes,” he insisted. “Look, Minka, if we had been friends as you claim, then I would have remembered you, as you are quite a striking young cat.”

“At least you didn't call me a kitten,” Minka muttered under her breath.

“I beg your pardon.”

“Nothing,” she responded as silence once more descended on the room. She was running out of options since her arguments seemed to be were falling on deaf ears. _Perhaps the only way is the direct way,_ she thought.

After several moments, she tried again. “Humbert...”

“...Most people call me 'Baron'.”

She offered a slight nod and finding the courage inside of herself, she spoke. “Baron, I must ask you something that is quite important. Perhaps you will take me for someone who is half out of her mind, but do the names Michael and Rose von Gikkingen mean anything to you at all?”

“No, but I am lead to ascertain that if we share a surname, then they might have been the artisans who crafted me,” Baron responded.

“In a manner of speaking,” Minka said with an ironic smile, but deep down inside, she could not get over how strange his words had sounded. Instead of contemplating it further, her next question emerged. “What about the name Ian von Gikkingen? Does that name sound familiar to you?”

As this question hung in the air, the smaller cat watched as a strange shadow etched its way across Baron's face. _Perhaps his unconscious mind is remembering his former life,_ she thought, all the while hoping that he would snap out of it and remember something.

Before he could so much as offer a response, they were jarred from their conversation by a soft tapping sound at the front door. “Is that Aberdeen returning?” She asked, her voice breaking into his thoughts.

Baron shook his head, but stood up. For whatever reason, the cat figurine was grateful for the distraction.

“I don't believe it is,” he offered. “If he is with Muta, there would be no reason for them to have knocked. Would you please excuse me for a moment?”

Minka nodded and watched as he went over to the coat rack, retrieved his hat, jacket, and cane before walking over to the double doors and formally pulling them open.

Before he could so much as exit the house and greet his visitor, his green eyes widened as he found himself standing stationary and staring up at the person who was paying him a surprise visit.

“Haru.” The single word emerged from between his lips as he watched her get down in her knees in front of him.

“Hello, Baron,” she whispered, her voice soft, but laced with what could only be described as suppressed emotion.

~~~~~

For several moments, Baron and Haru stared at one another without speaking. She swallowed several times, while he removed his top hat. His slanted green eyes were still staring up at her.

Even with the teenager sitting on her knees, she still towered over him.

After several moments had passed, Baron recovered first and cleared his throat. “Of what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?” He asked as his thoughts continued without his being able to stop them. _She is still as fetching today as she was a year ago._

“I wanted to come and see you before now, but...” her voice trailed.

The cat figurine smiled cordially as he waited for her to finish what she was saying. When she did not, he took a deep breath. “You owe me no explanations, Haru, I'm very glad to see you.”

“Are you busy or should I come back another time?” She asked, her words emerging softer than she intended. This element of shyness somehow detracted away from the assertive young girl he had parted company with a year ago.

“I am never too busy for you,” he said calmly. “It's so wonderful to see you again. Please forgive me if I seem a bit taken aback. I did not expect you to suddenly appear here. How did you find your way? Muta and his new friend left about half an hour ago. They were talking about going out for sushi.”

“Lune showed me the way,” she said.

Baron looked around where she was seated, but when he did not see the regal cat with her, his next question emerged. “He's not with you?”

“No, he headed home after he showed me how to get here,” she said.

Baron nodded as he motioned towards the double door with one hand. “Would you care to come inside?”

The teenager nodded and watched as he turned and started to walk back inside. Once he had cleared the doors, she started to crawl her way into the spacious little house. _If only it was a bit bigger in size, or I was a bit smaller,_ she thought as she managed to squeeze her way through the door on hands and knees.

Inside, she began to take in the small house. It had not changed a bit; in fact, it was the same as it had been the last time she was there. Now, that she had returned with the intention of helping him, it seemed rather clear that telling Baron the truth was not going to be easy. After all, according to Lune, Baron had no knowledge of the curse or of his life before it came about.

Seconds later, she spotted movement and her gaze shifted to the small gray colored cat that was seated on the sofa. As the cat turned around, Haru could feel the yellow eyes of the small animal staring up at her.

When Baron did not immediately speak, Haru looked at the tawny colored cat figurine and spoke. “Who's your friend?” She asked. There was a tiny trace of jealousy in her words, but neither the visiting cat nor Baron picked up on it.

Instead, Baron offered a polite, but hasty introduction. “Minka, this is Haru, Haru, this is Minka.”

Nodding, Haru looked at Minka. “I don't mean to interrupt you, but there's something important that I need to discuss with Baron...” Her voice trailed off as she recalled the name that was mentioned in Humbert's last letter. “...Wait a minute, did he say that your name is Minka?”

“Yes,” the gray cat spoke. “Is that of any consequence?”

“It may be, if you're the Minka that I think you might be,” Haru responded.

“That's probably not possible,” Minka objected. “I'm not from around here.”

“That may add even more validity to what I'm thinking,” Haru said as her face unconsciously lost some of its color.

“What are you thinking?” Baron asked. 

Instead of responding to his question, Haru looked at the gray cat and spoke. “Tell me something; based on your accent, you are probably from England. Is that correct?” She asked. When Minka nodded, she continued. “Where specifically? The reason I ask is that I think maybe we are here for the same reason.”

Before Minka could so much as respond, Baron spoke up. “What is this about, Haru? Do you know one another?”

“No, but something tells me that you and Minka do,” Haru said.

“Well, we did have a similar discussion before you arrived, but I can assure you that I do not know Minka at all. I only met her today and we spoke for some moments before you arrived.”

Haru nodded, but instead of responding to Baron's words, she looked at Minka. “Do you know someone named Michael von Gikkingen?”

“Yes,” Minka responded. “But how do you know him?”

“It's a long story,” Haru said, her response indicative that she was not certain if she should mention this in front of Baron at all. “But, to make it a bit shorter, I spoke with him today on the phone, and he's coming here to find his son.” As she spoke, she looked pointedly at Baron.

“Then what I heard was true,” Minka whispered as she pointed a paw at Baron. “You're the missing heir. Baron is not just how people address you, it is what you are.”

Baron looked at his two guests before shaking his head adamantly. “I am not who you take me for, Minka.”

“I think you are,” Haru said as she looked at him. “You just don't remember.”

In lieu of words, Baron shifted his weight uncomfortably. For the first time since he could remember, his teatime was being completely ignored by a newly found situation to which he had no answers.

After several moments of silence had passed between them, Haru took a deep breath before speaking, her question directed at him. “Baron, what were you doing before you found the Cat Bureau?”

“I don't know,” he said honestly. “I have no memory of it. I just know that one day, I found myself at the Refuge. Later, I met Toto, and we spoke at length, and each time, he insisted that I had a past. He said that all Creations have a past, but I realized straightaway that it was that, which set me apart from him as well as other creations. Haru, I do not have a past that dates before the Cat Bureau.”

Haru took a deep breath. “That's sad. I mean; everyone needs family or friends and a place called home.”

“It's not sad, my family is Toto and Muta,” Baron said. “They are who I remember. I have no recollection of anything else. Aside from that, we're here now, and maybe it would be best if we kept our focus on the present instead of the past.”

“But, Baron, you can't mean that. I mean; you're the reason I left home. I came here to tell you that you have a family. Michael and Rose von Gikkingen are not your artisans, they are your parents,” Minka insisted.

“My parents?” Baron looked at Haru, who instead of speaking, nodded at him, her brown eyes carrying the very same hidden emotion that she had when she had arrived. “I don't know I can hear anymore of this.”

“If you do not listen to us, then my journey will have been in vain,” Minka whispered.

Baron looked at Minka, his green eyes filled with unreadable sadness before he turned and looked at Haru. “I don't know about journeys but I do know that what you are doing is not right.” He turned and looked at the teenager, fear etched in his expression. “Haru, would you mind taking her and Aberdeen back home with you so they have a place to stay?”

“Baron...” Haru whispered his name and watched as he turned around. “...You can't just toss her out.”

Before he could so much as respond, the door abruptly opened and Muta and Aberdeen came inside.

“Wow, you were right, Muta,” Aberdeen was saying. “That meal certainly made canned sardines taste like grease and wax paper.”

“Told you so,” Muta responded. “Five helpings was perfect.” He patted his large white stomach before stretching out. When he noticed that Minka was awake and Haru was seated in the room, his smile widened. “Hey Chicky! Hi there Kitten, welcome back to the land of the living.”

“Hey Muta,” Haru responded.

Ignoring these words, Minka crawled off the sofa and silently left the room. Once she had gone outside, the large white cat spoke. “Was it something I said?”

No one replied. Instead, Baron offered a slight shrug of his shoulders before getting to his feet and leaving the room.


	13. Historically Yours

**Chapter 13: Historically Yours**

As soon as Baron was gone, Muta looked at Haru. “Chicky, what is going on?”

Haru took a deep breath. “I'm not sure where to start or if I should even try. Maybe it was a mistake for me to have come here and I should go.”

Aberdeen looked at Muta. “I'm not certain, but something tells me that Minka needed to tell him why specifically we came. Maybe what happened is merely the result of her honesty.”

“She did try to tell him,” Haru responded, “but it didn't work.”

“Maybe it was because Baron wasn't ready to hear whatever it was she had to say,” Muta said. “Baron likes to be strong and anything that counters that is a weakness in his book. For him to be told something he doesn't know or cannot control might contradict that perceived notion.”

Shrugging her shoulders, Haru looked at Muta. “I honestly didn't anticipate meeting Minka today. I will be honest and tell you that I had heard tell of her.” As she was speaking, she glanced towards the tiny doorway that Baron had used when he exited the room. It was far too small for her to fit through, and she knew that she would not be seeing him unless he wanted it. After several moments had passed, she looked at the large white cat. “Muta, what should I do?”

“I don't know, but maybe someone should go after the kitten. We don't want her to get lost out there. Once the sun sets, things can get rather confusing outside, especially for someone who doesn't know the terrain.”

“I'll go check the courtyard,” Aberdeen offered. As an afterthought he continued speaking as he walked towards the door. “She couldn't have gotten far.” With that, he left the room and stepped outside.

~~~~~

Outside in the courtyard, Minka sat on the ground, her tail comfortably tucked beneath her body and her gray colored paws wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Hey,” Aberdeen's voice emerged as he came closer to where she was seated. Seconds passed and she turned around and looked up at him.

Instead of immediately responding, she watched as he seated himself on the ground next to her.

“I think it was a mistake for me to have come here,” she whispered. “Even if I were to get the Cat Bureau's help, I know in my heart that I failed, and now I can never return home.”

“Never is a long time, Minka,” he said gently, but taking a deep breath, he looked at her. “Now, tell me what happened.”

“When I woke up, I noticed that you were gone. Humbert, I mean; Baron was in the room and we started talking. I told him everything I remembered about home and about what he did for me. It was very strange because after I mentioned his mother and father, he had a contemplative look on his face. I thought maybe he remembered so I decided to go a bit further and asked him if he knew of Ian. As soon as I said it, he looked over at me and his expression looked upset or angry. It was as though he associated the name with that emotion. Then Haru showed up and there was no way for me to know for certain what he was thinking or feeling. He was suddenly distracted by her.”

“Stands to reason since Muta told me tonight that he believes that Baron likes her,” Aberdeen said. “He mentioned that while we were out having sushi.”

“I don't know what his feelings are,” Minka said honestly. “I tried to tell him what I knew and then Haru started talking. It was as though she already knew a great deal more about him and me than she should have. She was able to confirm much of what I had said, but still, I couldn't help but wonder how she knew so much about it. I guess it doesn't really matter.”

“Because Baron didn't believe you, right?”

She nodded slowly, but her next words emerged. “Just before you and Muta returned, he asked Haru to take me back home with her so he would not have to see me again,” she said.

“Is that what he said, or is that what you interpreted?”

“What does it matter?” She asked. “I gave up my life to come here, and now I don't know what to do. Maybe I should have just stayed out of the situation and never got involved with it at all.”

Aberdeen rested a gentle paw over her mouth and shook his head. “No, if you had done nothing, then no one would have known anything. You cannot give up. If you do, then the curse will never see any sort of end and your friend will be nothing more than knick-knack on a shelf. After all, I think it is you, who must help Baron to remember who he is. If not you, then who?”

“Maybe Haru,” Minka whispered helplessly.

Aberdeen responded by merely shaking his head.

~~~~~

As soon as Aberdeen had exited the Cat Bureau's main room, Muta looked at Haru, his gaze laced in intensity. “So, you gonna tell me what happened while Aberdeen and I were out having dinner?”

“There's not much to tell,” she began. “My mother had gotten a letter and after I read it, I thought I should come and try and talk things over with Baron. That was how I had heard about Minka, through these letters.”

“What does this have to do with Baron?”

“It has a great deal to do with him, since I think he may have written them,” she said as she glanced around the room to ascertain that they were alone. Deciding that it was safe to broach the subject, her next words emerged. “Muta, what do you know about Baron's past?”

“Not very much,” he responded as he sat down on the sofa where Minka had been and stretched himself out. As he did, his back legs rammed up against the coffee table. This caused the remaining tea to splash about, some of it falling out of the cup. “Oh great, more boiled grass.”

“Muta, please forget about the tea and tell me what you can about Baron,” Haru pleaded.

“Alright, the first time I met Baron, he was not the same individual that you met last year. That's pretty much an understatement, because back then he was rather shy and reserved. The point being; Baron was not always a swashbuckler. In fact, the changes in him came about during the course of the past five years. Out of sheer boredom, he started spending his abundance of free time learning to do the things that he was able to do last year,” Muta explained.

“What do you mean exactly?” She asked.

“I may not be able to explain it all that well,” he responded. “The truth is, Chicken Wings out there knows this story a bit better than I do.”

Haru nodded as she made herself comfortable on the trunk. “Just tell me what you know.”

“Alright, it's pretty much like I said just now. About five years back, Baron showed up at the Refuge. He was pretty messed up; that is, he had absolutely no memory of who he was or where he had come from. There was this card inside his pocket with the name 'Humbert von Gikkingen' written on it. This, we assumed, was his name.”

“What happened to the card and how did he become known as Baron?” Haru asked.

“A seal of nobility was imprinted on the backside of the card. We merely assumed that it was the name 'baron'. Of course, what added confusion to all of this was a picture of a man on the front of it,” he said. “Since he had no memory of who he was before he showed up here, we decided that instead of calling him 'Humbert', we would simply start calling him 'Baron'.

“So, you saw the picture?” Haru asked.

“Yeah, we both saw it before it went missing.” Muta responded. “Soon after it disappeared, Baron decided to get on with his life and we never talked about it again. Later, he told me that he needed something to occupy himself and that was pretty much how the Cat Bureau came into being. I don't really remember specifics about this place, because one morning I woke up and it was just here. You have to understand that the Refuge has always been consumed with some form of magic, so anything can spontaneously come into being here. No one questions why, they just accept it for what it is.”

“So it was like Lune said, the Cat Bureau didn't always exist?” Haru asked.

“No,” he shook his head. “The first time I arrived here, the Cat Bureau wasn't even here and the Refuge was merely a place where a ton of stray cats hung around. The other buildings were not here either. I think that they were merely conjured up in Baron's mind. Perhaps they were only present to make this house stand out.”

“Baron managed to create this place simply by thinking it into existence?” Haru asked, her question laced in disbelief.

“Magic can do anything, Chicky. You've only been here once, but, if you are exposed to it for a long period of time, then yeah, anything can happen,” he said. “It's all a bunch of hocus pocus to me, but Toto and Baron tend to take it rather seriously. Do you remember when you first arrived here last year?”

“I'll never forget that,” she said honestly. “Is it possible for a person who was changed into a creation to do the same thing?”

“I don't know,” Muta began. “What I do know is that in order for the Cat Bureau to exist, it needs the magic that a creation holds to maintain its existence.”

“So what you're saying is that if Baron were to leave, this place would cease to exist?” Haru asked.

“I don't know,” Muta said. “We never really discussed the prospect of his leaving and between you and me, I hope we never have to. If you want to know more about it, then you'll either have to talk to Baron or take it up with Toto.”

Haru nodded as she looked down at the cup that was still resting in her hands. There was a great deal to think about, and now with Muta's words, everything had become even more complicating. Raising her head after a few moments, she watched as Muta got up and stretched.

“I'm going outside for a spell. Let me know when you are ready to go home and I'll take you back to the crossroads.” With those words still hanging in the air, Muta left the room.

Once alone, Haru started to look around the main room. She had absolutely no idea about what to do next, and with no one to talk to, she figured that her only real option was to go home.

Sighing, she carefully placed the empty tea cup on the counter and took a deep breath before crawling slowly towards the double doors. _Maybe it would be better if I just left and tried to find some other way to help,_ she thought sadly as she closed her eyes. _Baron had been pretty upset about what Minka and I had said, even though he was not letting on about it._

As her thoughts drifted, she suddenly felt a teardrop streaming from beneath one of her eyes, the stinging sensation remaining. Without realizing what was happening, she wiped the moisture from beneath her eyes and began to speak, her voice filling the stillness of the room.

“I'm sorry, Baron. I wasn't trying to make you feel uncomfortable.”

“No, it is I who is sorry,” Baron's familiar voice suddenly emerged and she turned around to see that he had returned and was now standing in the room. “My behavior just now was rather unbecoming, was it not?”

Haru took a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders noncommittally. Her gaze somehow remained on her lap so as to not give away the affirmative response.

“Haru,” he spoke her name. “Would you say something please?”

“I don't know what to say,” she whispered. Suddenly insecurity literally began to swallow her whole and she clasped her hands together. “Everything I wanted to say was already said by Minka, and you turned her away. I can only conclude that you would turn me away, too.”

He shook his head as he came over and rested his hand on her arm. “I do not know why I did that.”

“Maybe because you were afraid that what she was telling you was the truth, and fear is not something that you wear very well,” she whispered.

“Does anyone, as you say, 'wear it well'?” He asked.

“No,” she began. Before she could continue speaking, she ran her hand through her dark brown hair and closed her eyes. “Baron, do you remember the events from last year?”

“Yes,” he said with a nod of his head.

“Do you remember how you had insisted on me trusting you when we were skydiving without a parachute?”

“Skydiving?” He asked, confusion lining his face.

“What else would you call it?” When he did not respond, she continued. “I mean; I was in midair and falling. Right after you appeared, I remember how I had started crying and confessed to you that I was afraid. Do you remember what you told me?”

He nodded, but before he could repeat those words, she did. “You told me that I should spread out my arms and look down. When I responded, you told me that I should trust you. I had no idea what was going to happen next or if I was going to survive the fall, but I did trust you enough to do as you said. Baron, I trusted you with my life and my future. I still do.”

“And you wish for the very same consideration?” He asked.

“Yes I do,” she responded. “I know that talking about the past is not easy, but sometimes you have to do things that aren't easy, because that's life.”

Baron looked at her, his slanted green eyes laced in hesitation. “Do you know what it's like to not know anything about yourself at all?”

“No,” she shook her head sadly. “But, I want to help, that's why I'm here.” She paused, the discomfort filling her, but deciding to ignore it, she forged ahead. “Baron, I honestly believe that Minka knew you before you lost your memory of yourself.”

“In other words, you believe her?”

“Yes, I do, and it would take forever for me to explain why, but Minka does know, and maybe instead of casting her off, you should allow her to help you remember,” Haru said bluntly.

“What if I do remember something about myself that is not all that flattering,” he began.

“Wouldn't you rather know the truth?” She asked. “Besides, there must be some flattering parts, because Minka said you saved her life. Wouldn't you like to remember how you did that?”

Baron looked at her, but instead of responding to her inquiry, a question of his own emerged. “Why is this so important to you?”

Haru took a deep breath. _Because I love you and if you really are the human who wrote those letters to my mother, then maybe by some strange twist of fate, we would be able to be together instead of me simply having a massive crush on you._

Instead of voicing these thoughts, she took a deep breath. “I don't know, I guess I just think it may be really important to you. I mean; if you do have parents like Minka said, then maybe they are trying to find you because they cannot forget you. If you were a missing part of my family, I'd spend the rest of my life trying to find you.”

As these words filled his triangular shaped ears, Baron took a deep breath and looked at her, a small smile breaking through. “Alright,” he relented. “I'll try and remember.”

“Thank you,” she responded as she glanced towards the door.

“Perhaps before we speak further, we should find Minka so that I can apologize to her for my earlier reaction,” he said.

“I think she'd understand, I mean, you said yourself that it's not easy to remember one's past,” Haru said.

Baron nodded and started to make his way towards the double doors.


	14. A Son Scorned

**Chapter 14: A Son Scorned**

As the morning sunshine faded away to afternoon, Michael von Gikkingen finished his work at the computer and decided that it was now time for him to go and get things packed for the trip. He had grown rather tired of speaking of his intentions and knew that it was now time to put words into action. He figured that his wife, Heinrich, and Madeline were back in their perspective rooms getting ready to leave the estate as well. In essence, it was high time for him to join Rose and assist her with the tedious chore of packing.

Taking a deep breath, he leaned over and shut off the computer before standing up. Once on his feet, he clasped his hands nervously together in front of him as he approached the window and took in the goings on outside.

On the surface, it was a typical spring day, the white colored clouds had rolled across the horizon and settled over the estate. A smile tugged at his lips as he thought about the polite conversation that he had shared with Haru Yoshioka. She was such a nice young lady, but of course he figured that she would be since her mother had been Humbert's pen friend for many a year.

Taking a deep breath, he returned to his desk and his hand casually glazed over the copy of his eldest son's letter, as well as the drawing Humbert had done before his disappearance.

_Would this trip reap much of anything?_ He asked himself. It was clear that he was not fully certain that it would. Of course, he knew deep down inside that a trip anywhere would prove a welcomed distraction from five long years of unspoken misery.

Perhaps this would be just what he and Rose needed.

The most disquieting thing now lay before him. Michael knew that before he could join his wife in their quarters and pack his belongings, he would have to go and tell Ian what his intentions were. Saying that he and Rose were leaving would be easy, but how to break it to his son that the butler and his granddaughter had been invited along would prove much more difficult.

Michael knew that his son would not be pleased by this strange turn of events, specifically since it meant that he was back to questioning the stories Ian had been telling. Somehow, this would affirm beyond any doubt that the good baron did not trust his younger son's assertions about his brother being dead. After so many lies and untruths, Michael was no longer feeling as patient as he would liked to have been.

He slid the letter and drawing into his pocket before stepping away from the desk. As he did, he turned away from it and started to make his way towards the door that led out of the room. Reaching it, he pulled the door open and stepped into the hallway.

Silently, he made his way in the direction of Ian's quarters. As was to be expected, upon reaching the door, Michael could hear the sound of music shattering the stillness of the house. A faint odor of pipe tobacco could also be detected as he came closer to the half opened door.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked, the sound of his fist against the door echoing in the corridor.

“Yeah?” The sound of Ian's gruff voice abruptly responded and the music lowered a few notches in volume.

This response indicated that Michael could enter the room. Pushing the door open, the older man entered. As he did, the pungent smell of tobacco and sweat nearly knocked him off his feet. Instead of greeting his son, he hastened towards the window. “Would you mind if I opened a window?” He asked.

Ian waved his hand nonchalantly as he removed the pipe and a smoke ring literally engulfed his head. “Be my guest.”

Holding his breath momentarily, Michael quickly opened the window. Once a gentle breeze had started to waft its way into the room, the baron turned around and regarded his son intently. “Ian, there is something that I need to discuss with you.”

Ian nodded, but got up from where he was seated and made his way towards the door. “This is new, since when do you want to discuss anything with me? Usually, you run to the hired help.” He paused as he allowed his words to sink in. Once they did, he continued. “Let's face it; everything I ever found out was done through listening in.”

“I have tried speaking to you in the past, Ian,” Michael objected. “Perhaps I have not always been the grandest with letting you know this, but I have. Maybe if you had refrained from lying to me, then we might have gotten along better.” He paused. “Ever since Humbert...”

“...Dad, can't you just forget about him? I told you everything I knew. It's not my fault you don't believe me,” Ian snapped.

Michael took a deep, but staggering, breath. “I know you want me to dismiss Humbert's fate, but what if something had happened to Steven? Would you be likely to forget?”

“No, but I sure as hell wouldn't be kicking a dead horse,” Ian shot back.

“I cannot, as you seem to always be saying, 'just get over it'. I would feel the same way if something happened to you,” Michael said.

“Like hell you would,” Ian snapped. “You have never stopped reminding me about how great Humbert was. In the past five years, everything I have ever done has always been compared to the wonderful things he did. What you seem to always forget is that I am also your son and you have never fully acknowledged or accepted that.”

“You never let me,” Michael objected. “I have tried to be fair, and perhaps there have been moments when I did not do very well at it...”

“...Do very well?” Ian mimicked. “Come on, Dad, since you're talking about honesty, just accept the fact that you sucked at it.” He paused as he stuck the pipe back in his mouth and took a draw on it. Releasing it in a puff of smoke, he continued, his next question indicative that he was not in the mood for anymore of his father's excuses. “So, what do you want to tell me?”

“Well, it is quite simple actually. Your mother and I will be leaving later today,” he began. “We're driving to London tonight and will be getting on a flight out tomorrow morning.”

“You're going on a trip?”

“Yes,”

“Why?”

“Well, for many reasons actually. One of which is the fact that it has been five years since your mother and I had any sort of holiday,” Michael began as he wafted a hand in front of his face in an attempt to avert the smoke from Ian's pipe. “I know that this is a sore subject of discussion, but we have a possible lead as to your brother's whereabouts and we are going to follow up on it.”

“I take it that Heinrich and the little girl are driving you to Heathrow then,” Ian said. “I haven't seen either of them all morning. When should I expect them back?”

“They won't be coming back because I have asked them to come with us,” Michael said matter-of-factly.

“You're taking the hired help on a holiday, but not Steven or me?” Ian asked skeptically. “Don't you think that's a bit odd? We're your family, not them?”

“Perhaps, but I have my reasons,” Michael said firmly.

“Which are?”

“I think you already know,” Michael responded, his words neither confrontational nor hostile. Instead they emerged laced in simplicity. “I saw the bruises on Madeline's arm. This has indicated to me that you and Steven are going out your way to torment that little girl. I have already spoken with Heinrich, and have said that I will not allow her to stay here when I think you pose a threat to her. As it stands, I am going to require Heinrich's assistance during our time away, and since she is staying with him, I have asked her to come as well.” He paused before his next words emerged. “The sad fact is; I wish I could trust you and Steven to leave that child be, but I realized when I saw the extent of abuse she has endured; that I simply cannot.”

“What about her parents?” Ian asked. “Do they have any say in the matter, or did you decide to play the 'I'm a baron' card again?”

“I have done no such thing,” Michael said plainly. “I did ask their permission and they granted it.”

Ian's expression darkened, but he took a deep breath and looked at his father before changing the subject. “So, where is it you think Humbert might have gone?”

The sarcasm in this question did not go unnoticed by Michael. Instead of putting too much emphasis on it, he decided to offer a vague response. “Japan.” 

As this single word answer hung in the air, the elder of the two started to walk towards the door leading out of the room. Before he could completely step outside, Ian's voice suddenly stopped him. “What makes you so certain that Humbert is there? I mean seeing as you are so convinced that he's alive.”

Michael said nothing in response to these words; instead he regarded his son through grave eyes. “You should tell Steven that if I hear anything else about you or him beating up Heinrich's granddaughter, I will be forced to take some action.”

“What sort of action?” Ian asked.

“Well, for starters, I will not have bullies living in my house,” Michael responded meaningfully.

“You can't just throw us out, we're family,” Ian objected.

“Yes, family that is living under my roof,” Michael began. “Take it into consideration before you or your son start picking on those you consider to be weaker. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some packing to do.”

With that, he left the room and closed the door firmly behind him.

~~~~~

Once Michael was gone, Ian got to his feet, his eyes narrowing as he stared at where his father had been standing for the duration of their conversation. The fact that Michael was planning to take off to Japan gave Ian von Gikkingen reason enough to be concerned.

 _How could Dad have known the specifics about what Steven and I had been discussing the day before?_ The question ravaged his mind.

The more Ian pondered it, the clearer things became. Someone in that house had spoken to Michael about his older brother and he was now determined to find out who the stool pigeon was. In the back of his mind, the youngest von Gikkingen had two suspects in mind; his only son, and the butler's granddaughter.

There was no time like the present to find out which of his assertions had been accurate.

“Steven?” He called out his son's name and waited several moments for the boy to come out of his bedroom. When he did, Ian regarded the boy through hostile eyes. “Did you talk to your grandfather about what we discussed yesterday?”

“No, Dad, I haven't seen him all day.”

“Oh really?” Ian asked.

“Yeah, you told me not to talk to them, so I didn't,” Steven said.

“Well, your grandfather was just in here and he was telling me about how he and your grandmother are leaving later today to fly to _Japan_ ,” Ian said, his voice getting louder as each word emerged.

“Why would they go there?”

“You tell me.”

“Look Dad, I didn't tell anyone anything. I swear it,” Steven said. “Why do you doubt me?”

Ian took a deep breath as he regarded his son. “Let's just say that they seem to be of the mindset that Humbert is in Japan,” Ian said pointedly. “You do recall that we discussed this, don't you?”

“Yeah, but we were outside in the hallway and anyone could have overheard,” Steven said. You're not the only one in this house who finds out important stuff by listening in.”

“You're right,” Ian relented. “However, you were the one who offered to tell them about Japan.”

“I know, but it doesn't mean that I would squeal,” Steven responded. “You pretty much said that you'd kick my ass if I did, so I avoided them.”

“Well I'm not going to avoid anybody,” Ian muttered.

“What are you going to do?” Steven asked.

“After my parents leave, I will be leaving too,” he said grimly.

“Where are you going?”

“First, I'm going to gain audience with that cat king and together, we are going to destroy Humbert von Gikkingen once and for all,” Ian said with fierce determination. “When I get finished with him, all that will be left will be a handful of splinters. My parents will have no further reason to believe that my brother is even alive.”

Steven stared at his father fearfully, but instead of responding to these words, he merely nodded.


	15. A Father's Trouble

**Chapter 15: A Father's Trouble**

At the same time Ian was planning to come back to the Cat Kingdom, Lune was in the process of returning home to an anxious Yuki. The young queen had been standing at the front gate near the drawbridge waiting for her husband the moment word came that the king was on his way back.

As she waited, her father-in-law's advisor; Natori, approached. The tall robed cat, instead of cordially greeting her, merely cast a nonchalant glance around the area. Seeing no one else in vicinity, he spoke. “I take it His Majesty has not yet returned.”

“Not yet, but he should be along very soon,” Yuki responded, her voice soft, but somewhat stilted. It was no secret that the young queen did not particularly like her father-in-law's assistants very much. Generally, they looked down on her and made it clear that she was nothing more than a servant who had conveniently married her way into the royal family.

Instead of leaving her to her contemplations, Natori continued. “When the king does get back, please advise him that his father has requested audience.”

Without waiting for her to respond, the tall cat turned and walked away leaving Yuki once again standing alone. As she watched him disappear around a corner, she continued to contemplate how her life had changed as drastically in such a short span of time.

She recalled how things had been just before Lune had proposed to her. It was only through his simple, yet courageous, honesty, that the young cat couple could enjoy their fairy tale wedding. The teenager who had catalyzed all of this would not soon be forgotten by either of them. Somehow, it was Haru, who had given Lune the courage and incentive to affirm to his father what his feelings truly were.

Of course, Yuki had always known. After all, it was during those private moments with Lune, when she discovered that his feelings towards her surprisingly mirrored her own. This realization was better than anything; even her favorite fish crackers.

The days of serving at the king's table were now happily behind her. Now, it was she who was being served and cats from all over the kingdom shared an undying envy towards their new young queen.

The happy memories continued to play out in her mind until they were suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Lune's carriage. As it reached the drawbridge where she was waiting, she could feel a soft purr escaping from between her furry lips. Moments passed as it abruptly stopped and Lune disembarked.

He was dressed in the same regal white robe he had worn on the day he had proposed. To his wife, Lune was the most handsome cat in all the Cat Kingdom. Yuki's smile ultimately gave that away. Seconds passed and she felt him wrap her lovingly in his arms.

Her soft purr resonated even louder as he spoke softly into her ear. “I missed you, Your Majesty.”

“I'm so glad you're home,” she whispered to him, her own paws wrapping snugly around his slender form. “When word came that you had returned, I wanted nothing more than to be here to greet you.”

Lune smiled as he released her before turning around and reaching for a small package. This, he handed to her. “While I was away, I did manage to retrieve some of these for you.”

Accepting it, Yuki smiled as recognition washed over her. “Thank you.” She rubbed a small white paw over the box and looked into the eyes of the king. “You spoil me.”

“And why ever not?” Lune asked as a mischievous gleam seemed to dance about in his mismatched eyes. When she smiled brightly, he formally offered his arm. “So then, shall we go?”

Accepting his offered arm, Yuki felt herself practically floating into the castle.

As they entered, she looked up at him. “Lune, I should tell you that before you arrived, Natori came outside. He said that I should inform you that your father wishes audience with you.”

“I see,” the monarch said as he brushed his freed paw over his lips. “It would seem that I, too, have a few things to discuss with my father as well.” Unconsciously, his expression darkened slightly.

“Is everything alright?” Yuki asked, her voice now showing signs of concern. When Lune did not immediately respond, her next question emerged. “Did something else happen while you were away?”

Lune took a deep breath. “It would seem that Father may have had his paw in some rather questionable dealings is all. Try not worry, Yuki. You know how he is.”

“All too well,” she mused, but when she felt his arm tensing up unconsciously, she increased her hold on it. “I know that this is not any of my business, but something doesn't feel right and I think you know it.”

“I do, and it was for that reason that I journeyed away from home. It was not simply to retrieve your crackers, but something is shifting between our kingdom and the human world.”

“Does it have anything to do with our friends?” Yuki asked. “Is Haru alright?”

“Yes, I saw her only today,” he said.

“And?” Yuki spoke. “How is she?”

“I believe she is well. Of course, given what she conveyed to me just before my return, there may be adequate rationale for me to speak with my father.” As these words emerged, the queen's eyes unconsciously rolled and the king began to chuckle despite the earnestness of the situation. “I know that there is no love loss between you and my father, Yuki.”

“Let's just say I don't blame Haru for running when she did and leave it at that,” Yuki affirmed with a slight blush. “I still cannot believe that your father wanted to marry her when you refused.” As these words hung in the air, the smaller of the two cats suddenly grew silent.

After several moments of silence passed, she was the first to find her voice. “Are you going to tell me what happened, or must I wait until after you speak with your father?”

Lune took a deep breath as they reached the door leading into their quarters. Opening it, he motioned with one paw, thus indicating that she enter before him. Once the two cats were inside, the door closed behind them and the king stopped walking and turned around.

This time, it was clear that he was trying to collect his own thoughts. He took a deep breath as he regarded his wife through troubled eyes. “I fear that time is of the essence and I must go and speak with him. Natori's request appears to be the opportunity I must take.”

“Are things that bad?”

“Well, if my father is guilty of doing the very things that I suspect him to have done, then yes, things are that bad,” Lune said softly. “You and I both know that given his track record, his intentions may be less than stellar. Of course, I knew that long before I spoke to Haru about Baron.”

“Baron?” Yuki asked. “What does he have to do with your father? From what I was able to gather, your father hated him.”

“Yes, he did,” Lune said. “Perhaps I should have taken some course of action the moment my father stepped down and bequeathed all royal power over to me.”

“I don't understand,” the white cat responded, her expression laced in confusion.

“It is rather easy to clarify,” he began. “When my father renounced the throne, he still possessed the ability to do magic. That is, regardless of what he did while king, he still has the knowledge and the ability to cause a good deal of trouble.”

“But, during the past year he's been relatively quiet,” she offered. “Hasn't he?”

“Yes, but it is because those very same abilities were passed on to me as the crown prince of the Kingdom of Cats. He would not dare challenge me, as I have the support of the subjects. However, it does not change the fact that my father may have very well used his power to bring harm to another. I fear that during the course of his reign, he may, very well, have been guilty of breaking one of our most important laws.”

“You mean, performing magic outside the realm of the Cat Kingdom,” Yuki asked. When Lune nodded, she continued. “What if he did? I mean; how could we prove it?”

“The act of proving this would not be difficult, especially if he had been consuming more than his fair share of catnip martinis,” Lune said as he looked at his wife. “My father, while under the influence of catnip, tends to say much more than he might when he is well. This leaves me to contend with whether or not he should be allowed to continue with his 'hobby' of practicing magic. Given my knowledge at the time, I had the cat's eye gemstone restored and returned to him. That particular magic, although limited to the Cat Kingdom, has been at his disposal for the past year.”

“So, what you're saying is that you made a mistake,” the young queen mused.

“It was one manifest in trust and loyalty to members of my family,” the king said with a nod. “It breaks my heart to know that in having made that choice, I might have done this kingdom and our friends a grave disservice.”

“Do you think that speaking to your father is going to change anything?”

“Perhaps not,” he said with an unhappy sigh.

Yuki rested a soft paw on his and when he looked down at her, she smiled reassuringly. “I know this is hard for you, Lune. You have been let down by the actions of your father, but you know that you are not like him. I also know that you'll handle everything wonderfully,” she said.

“Thank you, my love,” Lune said and with a final kiss, he backed his way towards the door and opening it, he stepped outside and closed it firmly behind him.

Once he was gone, Yuki nodded. She had complete faith in her husband.

~~~~~

In another part of the castle, the former Cat King was literally drowning himself in catnip martinis. Several emptied glasses were on the bar, but these were ignored by the large inebriated cat. As he sat sipping the clear liquid from what appeared to be his fourth or fifth drink, he stared down at his chubby paws as they cradled the half emptied glass. Every so often, he would raise the glass and take a drink. Once the glass was lowered, his heavy lidded mismatched eyes took in the paintings on the wall.

One was a group of cats playing poker, while another one carried a large Siamese cat holding a rod and reel. A third carried pictures of kittens as they played hide and seek in the large maze that surrounded the castle.

“How many kittens could I carry, how many kittens could I carry...” He started to sing under his breath, the familiar cat folk tune managing its way into his slurred speech. This seemed to be that, which provided him with the only entertainment around. As he continued singing, the door abruptly opened and sound of someone clearing their throat could suddenly be heard over his off-key vocals.

Turning away from the stool, the old cat inhaled slowly. “Na-Na-Natori,” he began, his syllables interrupted by a very loud belch.

“Sire, I am here to inform you that I have relayed the message as you have requested,” Natori said, his stance indicative that the older cat's belch was nothing new. His next words proved beyond any doubt that he was completely unfazed by it. “Your son will be along as soon as he returns to the castle.”

“Where'd he go?” The old cat grunted.

“I am not certain, Sire, but I did give the message to Yuki...”

“...That thing?” The catnip inebriated cat interrupted. Before Natori could respond, the large purple gray colored cat stuck a paw in his drink in order to retrieve the sardine garnish that was floating around in his martini glass. Finding it, he pulled it out and stuck it in his mouth. “Ahhh,” he released a contented sigh as Natori slowly backed up.

Despite himself, the servant watched as the former king continued running his paw along the rim of the glass. Because of this, neither of them seemed to notice that the door had opened and Lune had entered the room.

“Yuki said you wanted to see me, Father,” he began as he took in his father's disheveled appearance. It was not so much that the old cat's fur was in disarray, but also that he was practically draped over his glass, and seemed to be shutting out the rest of the world. “Father?”

The old cat raised his head and nodded as Natori spoke up. “If you would excuse me, Your Majesty, I have something that needs tending.”

“Of course, Natori,” Lune said cordially. “I really appreciate you giving the message to Yuki.”

The robed cat nodded before making a very hasty exit.

~~~~~

Back inside the room, Lune took a deep breath. The current King was not quite certain as to what would happen after he made it known that his father was suspected of abusing his power. Lune knew that the punishment for this was without exception; and that included the relinquishing of all magical powers and abilities.

 _Sometimes being kind is not at all easy,_ he thought as he cast a glance over towards the bar where the empty glasses remained. Inhaling slowly, the monarch spoke. “What is it you wanted to see me about?”

“I forget,” the fat cat said. “Want some?” He motioned a paw towards his drink.

“No, Father, but thank you for the offer,” Lune said cordially. He sat down on the neighboring stool and looked at his father. His paws were wet, which indicated to Lune that his father had been fishing sardines from his drink glasses again.

Instead of speaking, the elder of the two took a long sip and sighed as he replaced the empty glass. He crawled off the barstool and went over to prepare himself another drink.

“Don't you think you've had enough?” Lune asked.

When his father offered a simple grunt in response, the slender cat took a deep breath and spoke. “Father, there is something of utmost importance that I wish discuss with you.”

“What?” The older cat asked.

“It partially involves why I left home to journey to the Refuge,” Lune began.

“The refuse?”

“No, Father, the Refuge,” Lune responded patiently. Anticipating his father's next question, he continued speaking. “The Refuge is a sanctuary for creations.” A pause. “I spoke with Haru while I was there. You do remember her, don't you?” When his father offered a half grunt, half belch, Lune took that as a 'yes' and continued. “It would appear as though while you were in power some magic was used to spell one of her friends.”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” the elder cat grunted as he poured some catnip powder into a triangular shaped cocktail glass and started looking for some Feline Ale to add to it. Once he managed to mix the liquid to the powder, a bite of sardine was added. The former Cat King then stirred the mixture and staggered back to his seat on the other side of the counter.

“I think you do,” Lune said. “When, or should I say, how did you come in contact with Ian von Gikkingen?”

“You know, it was last year,” the fat purple cat replied as he continued stirring the drink. After some moments passed, he laid the glass stirring stick on the counter before picking up the glass and taking a sip.

“No, I do not mean Baron Humbert von Gikkingen,” Lune said. “Father, you know that it has been outlawed for the Cat Kingdom to get involved in human affairs, and based on what I have gathered about an event from five years back, while in power, you broke one of our most important laws. Is there anything that you wish to say in your defense?”

In lieu of a response, the old cat belched.

This made it clear to Lune that his father was beyond rational thinking. He looked at the purple stone that covered part of his father's forehead and reaching towards it with a steadied paw, he carefully removed it.

“What are you doing?” His father demanded as he raised his head.

Taking a deep breath, Lune realized at that moment that although his father was inebriated, he would always know when his magic had been stripped.

“I am taking this away from you for the time being,” Lune responded dryly. “I'm sorry, Father, but until I figure out what exactly happened when Baron was spelled, I will not permit you to use anymore magic, whether it be inside or outside the realm of the Cat Kingdom.”

In response to this, the old cat cried out as though in agony. It was an old ploy that the young monarch knew all to well. Instead of taking pity on his father, he slipped the precious gemstone in the pocket of his overcoat. He knew that as long as the gemstone was intact, there would be no dramatics like what had transpired a year ago.

When the elder of the two realized that there would be no empathy coming from his son, he stopped yowling.

For his part, Lune quietly left the room and closed the door behind him. In the corridor, the young monarch could not help but ponder if there would be any unwanted human visitations to his realm.

Something told him that this was far from being over.


	16. Two Worlds Collide

**Chapter 16: Two Worlds Collide**

Dusk had fallen in England when Michael, Rose, Heinrich, and Madeline were making ready to begin their journey. Although Michael had insisted on driving them to the airport in London, for some reason, Heinrich was now holding the keys to the dark blue Mercedes. Having used all his powers of persuasion, the older man somehow got his way. After unlocking the car, the gray headed butler rounded the large car and opened the trunk. He then assisted Michael in stacking the various suitcases inside.

Moments later, the little girl emerged from the house. On the whole, she looked rather relieved as she watched her grandfather finishing the task of loading the luggage. When he noticed her standing next to the car, he broke into a wide smile before opening the door and watching as she crawled into the backseat. Seconds later, Rose joined her and the two of them watched as the two men completed the task.

As soon as the trunk had closed, the small child cast a glance towards the house and noticed that Steven was standing at the front window and staring outside. The youth's eyes, instead of being filled with disdain were now filled with sadness. _Perhaps he really was sad that I'm going on this adventure instead of him,_ the little girl thought before looking at the baroness. Instead of speaking of these thoughts, she began to whisper to her friend. “I'm glad that Mummy and Daddy let me come along.”

“We are too,” Rose said gently.

“If I'd have stayed, he'd have probably killed me,” she mused as she cast another glance towards the house. “Rose?” She whispered the baroness' name.

“Yes, dear?”

“I think Steven's really mad at me,” the child confessed.

In lieu of a response, Rose cast a sideways glance towards the house and saw Steven still standing in the window and staring out at them. Soon the boy was joined by his father.

Swallowing, Madeline found her voice. “Maybe they should have been invited after all.”

Rose shook her head, her eyes lowered. “I fear that if we had extended the invitation to Ian and Steven, then they would have been rather upset by our intentions of looking for Humbert.”

“Do you think we'll find him?” Madeline asked.

“I don't know,” Rose responded. “Michael seems rather confident that we will, but maybe we should simply wait and see.”

As she was speaking, the two men opened the doors at the front and climbed in. “Is everyone buckled in?” Michael asked as Heinrich started the car.

From the backseat, Rose spoke, her words addressing her husband as she cast a final glance towards the house. “I do believe that perhaps we made a mistake, Michael.”

Following her gaze, Michael took a deep breath. “That cannot be changed, I'm afraid. If we invited them along now, then we would be even more delayed than we already are.”

Rose nodded in agreement as Heinrich drove off their lands and the estate disappeared behind them.

~~~~~

Once the car had vanished in the distance, Ian backed away from the window and walked over towards the door leading outside. His fists were clenched as he stared out across the meadow that separated the house from the highway his parents were now taking.

Seconds later, Steven approached where he was standing, the youth’s hand reaching out and touching his arm. “Dad?” He spoke, his voice laced in confusion. This mounted when Ian jerked away and turned to face him.

Without warning, fear gripped the boy. Once he managed to swallow, his next question emerged. “What are you going to do now?”

Ian took a deep breath. “You stay here,” he growled. Without so much as another word, he turned away from the door and made his way back down the hall in the direction of their quarters.

Steven stared at his father's retreating back but said not a word.

Instead of following, the boy took a hesitant step away from the front window and started to make his way down the hall in the opposite direction.

There was so much he did not understand and the events with both his grandparents and his father somehow remained a mystery. Although he would never have admitted it to anyone, his father's reactions to recent events scared him. Now, he was not only afraid of what would come next, he feared that if he so much as admitted how scared he was, people would think he was weak. Sighing, he clasped his hands together as the realization washed over him that his palms were literally drenched in sweat. He continued to walk until he reached the door leading into the drawing room.

Somehow he felt drawn to that particular room, but for the life of him, he could not explain why. Instead of hesitating at the door like he had done so often in the past, he immediately pressed down on the lever and the door opened.

Entering the room, he closed the door behind him and walked the length of it until he had reached the spot where the candle was displayed in the windowsill. His mind drifted back to the conversation he had had with his father as well as the recollection of how heartbroken his grandparents had been at the loss of their eldest son. The story his father had conveyed was a pretty outrageous one, but the sadness that had enveloped the house for as long as he could remember left him in a state of confusion.

He stared at the candle for what seemed like an eternity, but abruptly raised his head when he saw a large black colored crow standing outside the window and staring in at him. Feeling as though he was being spied on; the boy backed clumsily away from the window, his eyes never leaving the shadowy form of the bird.

“It's no big deal,” he muttered under his breath. “It's probably just a statue.”

Before he could continue convincing himself of this, the crow suddenly spread its wings and flapped them several times before folding them once more against its body. As it finished the task, Steven noticed a small golden trinket held firmly in the bird's beak. It looked to be valuable, and he was left to wonder if the object the bird held had been stolen.

With his eyes still on the object, the boy once more approached the window and reached a hesitant hand out towards the latch that would open it.

As soon as the window was opened, the crow flew into the drawing room. After circling several times he landed on the table where the baron and baroness had often taken tea. 

Steven stared for several moments as he approached the bird. “You'd better get out of here before my father finds you in here. You'll end up cat food if that happens.”

In response to this, the bird dropped the trinket he was carrying and watched as Steven approached the table to pick it up.

Once he did, he gasped when the crow began to speak. “Your father is a spineless jellyfish and I'd like to see him try to make cat food out of me.”

Steven abruptly dropped the trinket at that moment and backed away from where the bird was perched. “Y-you c-can talk?”

The bird nodded before motioning with an outstretched wing towards the object now on the floor. With bemusement, he watched as Steven scurried towards it. Once the boy held it in his hand, the bird spoke again. “So long as you hold that object, you can communicate with me.”

“What is it?” The boy whispered. “Is it magic?”

“If that's what you wish to call it,” the bird responded.

“Why would you want to talk to me?”

“You're here,” he responded. “My name is Toto.”

“Like the dog in the 'Wizard of Oz',” the boy managed.

“Are you trying to start a row with me?” The irate question suddenly emerged. “I'll have you know, I do not have fleas.”

“Sorry,” Steven whispered.

Although Toto was considerably smaller than him, the boy had seen more than his share of horror movies to know what damage an angry bird could do. Aside from that, he could somehow sense that there was something rather magical about this creature. After a few moments, the boy's next question emerged. “Toto, why are you here?”

“I am here because of a curse,” the crow responded. “It is a curse that you, yourself, are partially responsible for.”

“Me?” Steven asked. “But, why would I be? I'm just a kid. I don't know anyone who was cursed.”

“You are not a very good liar, Steven von Gikkingen,” Toto retorted.

“How do you know my name?”

“I know a great deal about you,” he responded, anger still laced in his words. “Where I come from, it is known that you are a bully. You go and beat up girls, and conspire with a man who is filled with such jealousy and rage that he would seek out any means in which to destroy your family.”

Steven backed away from the bird yet again. “I don't have a family...well, not really.”

“You have grandparents, do they count?”

“Sure, they count, but only when they need someone to yell at,” Steven whispered. “If I really mattered to them, then why wouldn't they take me with them on their holiday? They just left me here and took off with the hired help. You call that a family?”

“That must be very painful for you,” Toto said with a nod. “However, it does not excuse the fact that you have been inflicting pain on those weaker than yourself.”

“Have you been spying on me?”

“No,” Toto said softly. “I have been researching your family ever since Humbert von Gikkingen arrived at my home some five years ago.”

“Y-you know him?” The boy asked.

“Yes,” Toto responded.

“Tell me about him...please.”

The crow nodded as he watched Steven seat himself on the floor and stare up into his dark eyes.

“In order to do that then I must first tell you something about me,” the crow began. “Have you ever heard the term, 'creation'?”

“Yes, but what I know of it is probably not the same thing you speak of,” Steven mused.

“In this sense, a 'Creation' is a work of art with a soul. I, myself, am such a creation. My natural state is a stone statue of a crow that sits in the center of the Refuge's courtyard. When the sun goes down there, I become living and am able to transcend time and space. It is for that reason that I have been able to come here.”

“To come here?” Steven repeated as though making an inquiry. As he waited for Toto to respond, he shifted his weight.

“There exists a portal that would take me out of my world and into this one. It is, as you call it, magic, but that is all I can tell you of it.” He paused. “The reason for my coming here is to find out what I can about my friend.”

“Your friend?”

“Yes, I am wishing to learn about the origins of my friend, Baron,” Toto said. Before the boy could interrupt, he continued his explanation. “Baron, is what we have come to call the person you know as Humbert von Gikkingen.”

“So, what you're saying is in this place, he calls himself 'Baron'?” Steven asked. “Why?”

“It is by no means implied with disrespect,” Toto responded. “He adapted himself to that name just after his arrival at the Refuge. It was some days after he had been dispatched from the human world that we met and I was able to assist him in acquiring his new identity.”

“Tell me about what happened,” Steven whispered. “How did you meet?”

“Why so many questions?” Toto asked incredulously. “You would most assuredly run straight to your father and tell him what it is I have conveyed here. Let me assure you that I am not here to play the stool pigeon for your father.”

“I never said that, but if you want to fight dirty, then what makes you so certain that your story is the truth?” Steven shot back.

“Because it is,” Toto argued. “Perhaps I have overestimated you. It seems clear that you would not know the truth if it slapped you across the face.”

“Okay fine, but will you answer one question?” Steven's voice lowered considerably as he waited for Toto to respond. When the crow nodded, he took the incentive and spoke. “Was my uncle really turned into a figurine?”

“He was, indeed,” Toto said with a nod. “Now, five years have passed, this light stays lit, and it is said that once Baron remembers who he once was, the curse will then be lifted.”

Steven looked at the crow and took a deep breath. “Ten pounds says he won't be able to remember.”

In response to this, Toto cocked his head to one side and regarded the boy. “Please explain.”

“My father wants to go to the Cat King and get him to help him destroy Uncle Humbert,” Steven confessed, his voice softer than even he anticipated.

“Oh really?” Toto asked, his voice laced in sarcasm.

“That's what he said,” the boy responded. “He told me that he would go there himself and get the Cat King to use his magic just like he did five years ago.”

“Are you certain about that?” Toto asked.

“Yes, he went to our room right after my grandparents left. I'm guessing that he's on his way there now,” Steven said. “He planned this right after they announced that they were leaving to go to Japan.”

“He will be in for a rather cruel surprise then,” Toto said smugly.

“What do you mean?” Steven asked as he got to his feet and walked over to where the crow was still perched.

“The Cat Kingdom has changed rulers, and the new king would never approve of what your father is wishing to do,” Toto said. “That means, the only way in which Ian von Gikkingen could destroy his brother would be to actually find Baron. The safety of the Refuge means that no one can find him unless he wishes to be found.”

Steven took a deep breath. “I never really knew my uncle,” he confessed. “The only family I knew was my father, and grandparents. My mother walked out when I was four.”

Toto reached with one of his wings over to the boy and touched his shoulder. “You will one day know your uncle, Steven, and as soon as you do, you will understand everything.”

Steven nodded numbly as he turned away from the crow and stared at the door leading out of the room. Staring at it, he spoke. “The thing is; I don't want to wait, I just want to know what is so special about my uncle and why my father hates him so much...”

When no answer emerged, he turned around to see that the table was empty and Toto was gone. Seconds slowly ticked by as he looked down at his hand. It too was empty. The object he had been holding during his conversation with Toto had disappeared.


	17. The Doorway

**Chapter 17: The Doorway**

Ian von Gikkingen emerged from the house during the time his son was speaking with Toto. His intentions and destination were clear. He knew where the portal to the Cat Kingdom was, and was determined to get there that very night. In his mind, it was time for him to put an end to Humbert once and for all.

As the sky took on a dark grayish colored hue, the man swung his duffel bag over one shoulder and continued his trek along the dirt covered road. This extended along the back side of the manor, but it was now wet from the rain that had fallen earlier in the day. With each step he took, his expensive loafers slopped noisily through the muck and he grimaced upon glancing down towards his feet. It was a pity that this was the only road that would lead him to the portal.

Of course, the horrific state of his feet did very little to ease the questions that were ravaging his mind. Would the Cat King offer his assistance yet again? More importantly, what did he really have to offer in exchange?

The answers to those particular questions were unknown, but as Ian came nearer to the portal, he knew instinctively that there was no turning back. He would manage to get through it and find his way to the castle. Once there, he would use all his powers of persuasion to convince that fat and ignorant king to use his magic and help him.

Seconds passed as a low rumble could be heard in the distance. The gray sky, matched with the periodic bolt of lightening indicated to him that he must hurry. The rain would be coming and rather quickly.

He had no way of knowing that this was the very same road that Minka and Aberdeen had journeyed earlier that day. In fact, he was completely ignorant to the fact that if he had walked another twenty meters, he would have found the portal that led to the refuge.

Quickening his pace, he came closer to the portal just before the cloudburst started. He paused for a split second, giving himself enough time to cast a fleeting glace around the area. Inhaling slowly, he walked directly into the shimmering blue light.

As the light engulfed him, he soon found himself being teleported to the Kingdom of Cats.

~~~~~

Unbeknownst to Ian von Gikkingen, the moment he entered the realm of the Kingdom of Cats, a siren abruptly sounded at the castle alerting the King's soldiers that an intruder was in their midst. From the first moment of entry, the king's royal guards had been watching the man's every move.

As the cats continued their surveillance, they noted that the human was quickly weaving his way between the houses of the nearby village and coming in the direction of the royal palace. At that moment, it was unanimously decided that they would send one of the king's most trusted advisors to Lune's royal chambers in order to alert him of the events taking place.

The tall cat appointed to the task was named Chorney. He bore a coat of sleek black fur that covered his whole body except for the whiteness of his four feet. Although not visible, his front paws were covered with white gloves and a sequenced collar was bunched at his neck. A small star-shaped emblem was affixed to the collar giving the cat a rather mystical appearance. Like the rest of him, his eyes and nose were as dark as a starless night.

As the out of breath cat reached the door leading into Lune and Yuki's quarters, he waited several seconds until his breathing had become steady and even. Once it had, he tapped on the door and called out to the king. “Your Majesty, may I seek audience?”

His formal inquiry made, the black cat backed away from the door and waited for Lune to respond.

Seconds later, the door opened slowly and he was left looking into the mismatched eyes of the king. Bowing slightly, he waited for Lune to speak. “Yes, Chorney, what is it?”

“I have come to inform you that there is an intruder near Lake Piccolo, Sire,” the advisor spoke.

“I see,” Lune said calmly. “When was the first detection made?”

“The siren sounded about ten minutes ago, but our sources tell us that he...”

“...He?” Lune interrupted.

“Yes, the intruder is a human male,” Chorney said solemnly. “He arrived through the portal at the far end of the lake. Given what the observers have been telling us, it would seem that he is quickly making his way towards the castle.”

“I see,” Lune repeated these words as he turned away from the door. “Yuki, I shall return as soon as I am able.”

The white cat inside the room nodded as Lune stepped out into the corridor and closed the door firmly behind him. He then started to walk down the hallway with Chorney.

As they made their way, he looked at the other cat and spoke. “Is there any sort of indication that this intruder has been to this kingdom before?”

“It would seem rather clear that, yes, he has been here before, Your Majesty.”

“How can you be so certain?” Lune asked.

“Well, based on observation alone, this man seems to know exactly where it is he wants to go.”

“Please elaborate,” the king requested, his voice still maintaining his consistent level of politeness.

“Well, Sire, the guards on duty have affirmed that the intruder was coming with undue haste towards the royal palace. He was not seeking direction from those in the country, in fact, he was moving so quickly that we have concluded that he is here with one intention, and that is to beg audience with you.”

“I know of only a small number of people in the human world who know of the existence of the Cat Kingdom, one is Haru Yoshioka a young female from Japan,” Lune responded.

“This was no female and he did not enter through the Japanese portal,” Chorney responded. “This was a man, and much older than the young lady of whom you speak.” A pause. “Do you suppose that this man may have had dealings with your father?”

“It is quite possible that he had if your assertions about him are accurate,” Lune said with a nod. “I am wont to say that given what I have learned during the past days about my father's dealings with the human world; that that is exactly what may have transpired. Perhaps this man holds the key to a vast number of questions about the things my father did while he was king.”

As they were approaching the gate, a female cat came rushing up to them, her body bowing slightly in the king's presence, but he waited for her to speak. “Your Majesty, I heard that an intruder is here, and it concerns me. My sister and her family live in the countryside near Lake Piccolo. I heard from several of the guards that he could bring undue harm into the country estates. Perhaps we should be concerned if he breaches the perimeters of the city.”

“Not to worry, Yani,” Lune said. “It is quite possible that he poses no threat to the cities or to your sister's home. I have reason to believe that he has no other intention except to reach the palace. Perhaps he is nothing more than a weary traveler who has simply lost his way.”

The subject nodded and slowly made her way back in the direction she had come. Once she was gone, Chorney spoke. “I do not believe that that is the case, Sire,” he said as they reached the front gate.

There, Lune requested that the drawbridge be lowered and as an afterthought, he made the request that two dozen guards be on hand to assist him during a possible confrontation. One thing the monarch knew was that his advisor could be trusted in a case such as this. He was not willing to take any unnecessary risks, particularly with regard to the safety and security of those under his protection.

“I understand your concerns, my friend, but given my experiences, it is not a wise idea to create hysteria among the subjects,” Lune said rationally. “There are times when diplomacy is a necessary means in which to ensure that the subjects do not go into unnecessary panic.” As he spoke, the monarch and advisor watched and waited for the drawbridge to be lowered.

“A wise summation, Sire, but I do hold concern for your well-being in my arguments as well,” the black cat responded as the drawbridge finally touched the ground.

With a grateful wave back towards the gatekeeper, the king and his adviser stepped outside and both watched as the man in question came trudging through the grass towards the path leading up to the gate.

Upon taking in the attributes of the intruder, Chorney leaned towards the monarch and spoke, his voice a soft whisper. “Your Majesty, I know this man. He bartered his brother's life for your father's desire for power.”

Lune nodded, but raised a paw to silence the other cat. This topic would be one that they would discuss privately at a later time.

Instead of speaking further, both cats watched as the intruder came closer. Lune could suddenly feel a negative sort of energy envelop him, but for the nine lives of him, he could not put his paw on why that was the case.

Moments passed in silence for the two cats as the man reached them. “I need to see the Cat King,” he offered as a hasty greeting. “I come with a matter of grave urgency.”

“Well, as for your reason behind coming, we shall see if it is, in fact, a matter of urgency,” Chorney began. “However, as for your request for royal audience, you already have it.” With a diplomatic wave of his paw, the advisor made a formal introduction. “May I present the ruler of the Kingdom of Cats; Lune, the Cat King.”

“You're not the cat king,” the man began. “The one I spoke to five years ago...”

“...Was my father,” Lune interrupted. “He relinquished his royal duties seven moons ago or by the human calendar, exactly a year ago today. This has left me the new ruler of this kingdom. Now, how shall I address you, sir?”

“Baron Ian von Gikkingen,” the response emerged.

_Baron?_ Lune thought to himself as his mismatched eyes widened in surprise. Instead of speaking, he glanced over towards his advisor. Chorney offered a slight nod, but wordlessly continued observing.

For his part, the monarch regarded the human visitor with unabashed skepticism. _So this is the man my father has been having dealings with in the human world. It would seem that Chorney's observations were quite accurate; this is the person who cursed Humbert von Gikkingen five years ago._

Instead of waiting for the king to respond, Ian continued. “Since it was your father I had spoken with in the past, I would like to request audience with him.”

“I'm afraid that's not possible,” Lune said with an adamant shake of his head.

“Why not?” Ian asked. “Is he dead?”

“No, my dear sir, he is quite alive and well, but he is, how do you say it, incapacitated at the moment. With that being the case, I must affirm to you that you will have to deal with me in his stead.”

“I'd still rather see your father, if you don't mind,” Ian insisted.

“I'm afraid that will not happen, Mr. von Gikkingen,” the king said, his voice laced in a mixture between matter-of-factness and formality.

As Lune was speaking, two groups of armed guards came marching down either side of the drawbridge and upon reaching the trio, they stopped. This left two dozen pairs of slanted eyes staring at Ian.

Not knowing what to do, the man took several steps away from the king and started to make his way back in the direction he had come.

“Shall we arrest him, Sire?” The guard closest to him asked.

“I wouldn't know where we could hold him,” Lune said honestly. “Please have your men follow this intruder, and see to it that he does not find the portal that leads to the refuge.”

The guard nodded and Lune watched as they broke out of line in order to follow Ian at a safe distance.

Once they were gone, Chorney turned and looked at the king. “You let him go? This man used our magic to harm another.”

“I know this, but I had no choice, we haven't the capacity to hold a human prisoner,” Lune began. “Although my father no longer possess any of the kingdom's magic, it would be far too dangerous for the two of them to meet.”

“What are we going to do?” The advisor asked.

“I shall return to the Refuge and inform Baron Humbert von Gikkingen of the danger that he may now be in,” Lune said.

“You really think that this, Ian von Gikingen poses a danger to him?” Chorney asked.

“Yes, and now more than ever before, Baron must remember who he was. It no longer is a matter of the spell simply being broken, but the memory of who he is must come about. That is the only thing that can save him from being destroyed by this man.”

“Is that why Ian came, with the sole intention of killing his brother?” Chorney asked.

“Why else would he come?” Lune asked gravely. “It is very clear to me that I must get to the refuge before Ian finds his way there.” Taking a deep breath, he rested his paw on the advisor's shoulder. “Please go and tell Yuki that I had to go. I will be back as soon as I am able.”

Chorney nodded and within seconds, the king had started to run through the fields in the direction of the portal that would take him back to the Cat Bureau.


	18. Reconciliations

**Chapter 18: Reconciliations**

At the same moment Ian von Gikkingen was getting the run around in the Kingdom of Cats, Minka was still sitting outside speaking with Aberdeen when Baron and Haru emerged from the small house. The teenager was crawling along on her hands and knees, but as soon as she managed to clear the front doorway, she stood up. Still stooping, however, she followed Baron towards them. It was clear that her stance was indicative that she did not wish to miss anything that was going on.

The two cats grew silent and Minka swallowed nervously as she waited. The smallest of the cats was not certain as to what was about to happen. Her recollections of the events inside were still fresh in her mind.

Seconds slowly ticked by as Toto returned from his outing and landed on his perch. He watched as Baron ran a gloved hand down over his clothing before speaking to the cat still seated in the courtyard.

“I am glad to see that you did not leave,” he offered as a greeting. “I apologize for my behavior earlier. Perhaps it would be wise for me to clarify why it was I reacted to you as I did. 

Aberdeen's eyes unconsciously rolled as Minka offered a slight nod. “It's alright,” she spoke, her brave sounding words overshadowing her overwhelming shyness.

“I'm afraid that it was still not right of me,” he said as he waved his hand back in the direction of the Cat Bureau. “While I cannot affirm or deny what it is you have told me, I can at the very least offer you accommodations inside the Bureau.” He turned towards Aberdeen, this time addressing the larger cat. “I have a room at your disposal as well.”

“Seems a bit nicer than sleeping outside on the cold ground,” he offered as he glanced skyward and noticed the sky had grown overcast. “Thank you, Baron.”

“Okay, so now that we got all the niceties out of the way, where'd you disappear off to, Chicken Wings?” Muta asked as he approached the group. His slanted eyes were staring at the crow and his mouth was turned slightly down in a typical frown.

Toto looked at the group assembled. “I had quite an interesting conversation with Steven von Gikkingen.”

“Steven?” Minka asked. When the crow nodded affirmatively, she shook her head with profound disbelief. “Interesting is not hardly the word I would use to describe a conversation with Steven.”

“Why is that?” Toto asked.

“Let's just say that I'm rather surprised that he didn't try to do something like stick your wings together with crazy glue,” she offered freely. “Cruel and inhumane is more a proper descriptor for that ruffian.”

“Feathers and crazy glue would have been interesting, though,” Muta mused.

In response to this, Toto covered his beak with one wing as a chuckle emerged. “I'm afraid that he was a bit too surprised by my presence to make any sort of comments, much less try anything.”

“Who would have thought that a teenage boy would be afraid of an oversized chicken?” Muta continued his musings.

Instead of allowing Toto to offer an angry response and watching another row happen, Baron looked at Haru before turning and facing Muta. “I am certain that Toto managed just fine, Muta. It would seem that there is a good deal that needs clarifying, but his journey is not at the forefront of my concerns.”

“Baron's right,” A voice suddenly emerged and they all turned to see that Lune was walking up the steps toward them. He was literally running on his back feet and when he reached the small group, his mismatched eyes sought Baron. “I must speak with you. It's a matter of grave urgency.”

“What are you doing here?” Haru asked. “I thought you'd be on your way back home.”

“After we spoke, I did return home, but something has come up and now it is of the utmost importance that we speak.” He motioned towards the Cat Bureau's doors before looking at Baron. “Could we please speak inside? I fear that what I have to say cannot be repeated or overheard.”

Baron nodded. “Of course, please, everyone, step inside.”

“Will there be enough room?” Haru asked as she motioned over her body. “I think it will be a pretty tight squeeze with you, me, and those two fatsos.”

“Hey now wait a minute,” both Aberdeen and Muta objected at the same moment. This caused Toto to literally double over in laughter.

“Sorry guys, I'm just trying to lighten the mood,” Haru said, her expression laced in mischief. “From the looks of things, that did it.”

Lune took a deep breath. “While I appreciate your humor, Haru, I think that right at this moment, we are pressed for time.”

“Why?” Muta asked. “What's the rush?”

“I would rather explain everything inside, if that is alright, Renaldo,” Lune said formally.

“Just call me 'Muta', that's what everyone else does,” Muta raised a white paw in negation.

When Lune acknowledged these words, Baron motioned towards the door and within seconds, they had all entered the small A-frame house.

~~~~~

Once inside and the door had closed behind them, Baron approached the counter where his favorite teapot was placed. Before he could so much as offer his guests a cup of tea, Lune took a deep breath and began to speak.

“The reason I have returned from the Cat Kingdom is to inform you that Ian von Gikkingen is presently there,” Lune began.

Minka shrank back and Haru's fist unconsciously clinched. “How could he be there? I thought the portals to the Cat Kingdom were either closed or kept secret.” She looked at Baron, and when she saw a blank look on the figurine's face, she took a deep breath as her next words emerged. “Did you, at least, put him in the dungeon or something?”

“No, something even more interesting, he's presently trying to find his way out of the Kingdom,” Lune said. “The guards are leading him on a wild goose chase, of sorts.”

“You mean; you let him go?” Haru asked skeptically. “How could you do that? I mean; you already know the sort of threat he poses to Baron.”

“Our ways may seem a bit unorthodox to you...” Lune began.

“...Unorthodox? Is that another word for 'crazy'?” Minka asked. Her voice emerged much bolder than even she had anticipated. “In case you weren't aware of this, I overheard Ian von Gikkingen telling his son that he had struck some sort of bargain with the Cat King.”

“You overheard that?” Lune asked.

“Yes, I remember very well and my hearing is quite good,” the gray colored cat responded. “After hearing this, I went and told Madeline about it. This was before I left the house in order to come here.”

“Who is Madeline?” Haru asked.

“She's the butler's granddaughter,” Minka said. “She's one of two people in that house who could speak with, as well as understand, cats.”

“I take it the other who can is Ian,” Lune concluded.

The small cat nodded. “Yes, Madeline is quite young and it was rather difficult for her to convey to Ian's parents what specifically had happened. Initially, they believed it to be fantasies that emerged straight from the imagination of a young child.”

“How did you convince them?” Muta asked.

Minka took a deep breath and began to speak. “Humbert von Gikkingen was supposed to be the next in line to receive the noble title from his father, Baron Michael von Gikkingen. I arrived in the house just prior to his disappearance five years ago. Given all the things I overheard as a kitten, I knew that Ian was jealous of Humbert. Later, I discovered that his only wish was to get rid of his older brother so that he could have the title all to himself.”

She paused as she looked over at Baron. “I know you don't remember any of this, but I must tell everything I know. You are in danger because you stand in his way. Ian is not going to care if you remember him or not. What he does care about is power. Why else would he do whatever he can to get rid of you? That's why he went to the Kingdom of Cats in the first place. He's trying to get the ruler there to help him.”

Lune nodded affirmatively. “She's absolutely right, Baron, but what Ian did not realize is that this time, the ruler of the Kingdom of Cats will not be of any assistance to him whatsoever. The main decree of the Kingdom indicates that the inhabitants are not to get involved in human affairs. When the previous ruler did, he broke one of our most sacred decrees.”

“Like he really cared about that stuff like that,” Haru muttered more to herself than to the group.

“Yes, you're quite right, Haru, but sadly, he had the power at his disposal and used it accordingly,” Lune responded. “Back then, no one would have dared contradict him or his ways.”

“Why?” Minka whispered.

“Easy,” Haru responded. “Before Lune took the throne, his father was in charge and he was the one who helped Ian.”

Lune nodded and for a moment, it looked as though the feline monarch was trying to collect his thoughts. “I cannot say what happened with my father, but what I do know is that time is now of the essence.”

“What must we do?” Toto asked.

“Well, it's not a matter of what we should do. It is, in fact, what Baron must do. You must try to recall what happened five years ago. Once you do, then the spell will break and you can once again return to your former life. This must happen before you can confront your brother and win. If you do not remember, then once Ian finds you, he can very easily destroy you.”

“Why did your father help Ian before?” Minka asked.

Lune shook his head. “I do not know. Perhaps, he was intent on gaining power from places outside of the Cat Kingdom. What he did not realize was that there was no magic in our world that would have granted him such power. A cat cannot control the actions of a human anymore than a human can control what a cat does.”

Haru looked at the group. “If that's the case, then if he so much as tries to hurt Baron, I will make sure it's the last thing he ever does.” She paused but her next words emerged. “Is there a chance that if Ian gets out of the Cat Kingdom that he could show up here at the Refuge?”

Lune took a deep breath. “I don't know. What I can tell you is that the chances of him finding the refuge are far greater than his finding his way to Haru's house.”

“Then I will have to take him home with me,” the young woman said as she looked at him. “That is, if it is okay with you, Baron.”

Baron looked at her, his green eyes filled with surprise. After several seconds, he found his voice and spoke, his words laced in indignant undertones. “It most certainly is not 'okay'.”

“So you'd rather stay here and get yourself shish-ka-bobbed by a jealous brother,” Muta snapped. “Nice going, Baron.”

Baron took a deep breath and looked at the group assembled. “I know you mean well, Haru, but there must be a way for us to resolve this without Muta's doom and gloom theories becoming a reality.”

“Quite frankly, I think Muta's right,” Lune said formally. “If we can prevent Ian from finding Baron, then I think that it's an option that we ought to take. If you are willing to have Baron at your home, Haru, then it may be the only option we have.”

“If your guards had thrown Ian in the dungeon where he belongs, then perhaps there would be more options,” Baron said. “In the Cat Kingdom, he's cat-sized, correct?”

“Yes, but here he would be like Haru in stature,” Lune explained. “If he were to get beyond the borders of the Cat Kingdom, there exists a very real threat to your well being, Baron.”

“Yes, but aren't we forgetting something?” Toto asked. “We seemed to have established where the best place for Baron to stay would be, but we also need to have a place where he can remember who he is or from where he came. Haru's house may be the safest place, but it may not be ideal for recollecting memories.”

“Why not?” Haru asked as she looked at the crow. “My mother was Baron's pen pal before all this happened. Maybe the letters he wrote to her will help jog his memory. After all, if he can recall having written them, then maybe he will remember everything else.”

“I think it's a good idea,” Minka spoke up.

Baron took a deep breath as he looked at the group. “Alright then, If I am to leave here, then I would like to take a few things with me.” With that, he left the room.

Once he was gone, Haru looked at the Cat King. “Lune, do you think this is the best option? I mean; I didn't want to make Baron feel like a weakling.”

“I don't think he will,” Lune said. “But, I feel much better knowing that he is with you, Haru.”

“What about us?” Aberdeen asked.

“You guys can stay here,” Muta said. “It would be fun to have you around to give this overgrown chicken a hard time.”

Aberdeen smiled. “Something tells me that this is going to be a real adventure.”


	19. Confessions and Promises

**Chapter 19: Confessions and Promises**

It was late when Haru and Baron left the Refuge. Instead of walking, Baron was riding on the young woman's shoulder in very much the same fashion as he had done when she had escaped the Cat Kingdom a year ago. The pressure of his weight made her blush unconsciously and she was grateful for the darkness, which concealed her face.

In the figurine's hand, he carried his cane as well as a small suitcase with all the things he would be needing for the coming days. Haru had offered to carry his luggage, but he had declined, insisting that he was capable of doing at least that.

Not wishing to offend him, she decided not to push the issue. As she walked, she shifted her attention towards the sky overhead. “I should probably hurry before it starts raining again,” she mused.

“I agree,” Baron said. Although his voice sounded friendly enough, it still emerged somewhat stilted. This left Haru to wonder if he resented the fact that their friends were practically forcing him into hiding.

Haru took a deep breath, her eyes now recognizing the familiar area around her. This indicated that she was back in her own neighborhood. The streets were empty, as it was close to midnight. “I'm glad that you're with me, Baron,” she whispered after several moments had passed.

“Why is that?” He asked.

Instead of offering an immediate response, she spoke after a slight hesitation. “I guess it's because I don't like walking home alone after it gets dark. The other reason is that it's nice too know that I don't have to spend the spring holidays all by myself.”

“What about your mother?” He asked. “Where is she?”

“She's at a quilting convention,” she said as she cast a glance back in the direction they had come. “I would have liked to have stayed with everyone back at the Cat Bureau, but it would have been too cramped with all of us there. I guess in this case, height is not an advantage at all.”

The rest of their journey passed in silence.

After some time had passed, they finally reached the small path leading up to the front door of the Yoshioka house. Haru pulled out a key and once she had unlocked the door, she entered the house before closing and locking it behind her. Turning on the light in the hallway, she removed her shoes and reached for a pair of slippers.

Coming into the living room, she approached the sofa and sat down. From there, Baron was able to jump down from her shoulder and land on the cushions next to her. Once he was comfortable, he turned and looked at her.

“So, while I am here, where may I sleep?” He eventually asked.

“I don't know,” she responded. For some reason, she was thinking that he slept standing up. After all, he had been motionless when she had seen him the very first time. Instead of contemplating this further, she continued speaking. “Mom and I have a guest room, but everything's people sized, so it may not be very comfortable for you.”

He nodded, but his slanted green eyes did not falter as his next words emerged. “Haru, I am not as incapable as you and our friends implied earlier this evening. I have managed quite well in just about any situation.”

“I never said or implied that you couldn't,” she responded with a trace of indignation as she looked away. Instead of speaking further, Haru allowed her mind to drift. She had no idea what to say or do next, but deep down inside, she figured that she was now walking on eggshells.

If truth were known, the young woman knew that she still cared for him. Of course, those sentiments were clearly one sided. To him, she was nothing more than one of the Cat Bureau's clients. _How could he even consider it an option when the person seated next to him towers over him like a giant?_ She asked herself as she lowered her head and felt her hair falling and shielding either side of her face.

What she failed to notice was that Baron had been observing her actions and despite her tone of voice, he found himself smiling at her overt insecurity.

He could tell that she still harbored feelings towards him. That could very well have been her rationale for his coming to stay with her in the first place. Perhaps in the safety of her home, she would be able to get her feelings out in the open without Muta or Toto lurking about and making some off the wall comment.

_Instead of being upset with her, perhaps it is my task to get her to talk,_ Baron thought as he reached over and rested a gloved hand on her arm.

“Haru?” He spoke her name as though making an inquiry.

Haru turned and with her free hand, she moved her hair behind her ears before turning and facing him. When he could see that her cheeks were unusually red and her eyes were staring past him, he realized that there was perhaps a great deal that she wanted to tell him but obviously could not.

After several moments she took a deep breath and released it in the form of a sigh. “Baron, I'm sorry.”

“What for?” He asked.

_Was it my imagination or does his voice sound less edgy than it had been on our way back here?_ She asked herself before offering a response. “I guess because I was scared that I might have offended you. What I mean is, you're my friend and I...” her voice trailed.

“...You?” Baron's question emerged. He waited for her to respond, but soon found that they were once again engulfed in silence.

After several moments slowly ticked by, Haru lowered her head yet again. “I was remembering something that was in that last letter that was sent to my mother. It was laced in sincerity, but I sensed that you...I mean he, was afraid.”

“Perhaps it would be a good idea for me to read those letters.”

“Yes, but I thought you didn't believe any of this.”

“I'm still not quite certain if I do,” he began. “Perhaps reading them will help me to understand why it is you're so upset. Given what Minka and Lune conveyed earlier, perhaps I ought not be so critical of it.” As he was speaking, he allowed his entire hand to lower until it reached hers. Once he was touching one side of it, he curled his hand gently around one of her fingers. “Haru, you do know that I have always prided myself on being the rational sort.”

“I know,” she whispered, all the while not realizing that she had read those very same words in the final letter that Humbert had sent to her mother. Instead of contemplating this, her gaze was immediately fixated on the precise location of his hand.

Seconds passed and Baron continued speaking. “I must admit that it is rather odd for me to have an enemy that I don't even remember. I am not accustomed to cowering away from a confrontation. That is something I have never considered doing and now it feels quite strange for me to have done so.”

“You're not cowering, you're just being smart,” she argued.

“I don't know if I can believe that, Haru. What would you call someone who leaves home and retreats into hiding to avoid a bully?” He asked.

Haru inhaled slowly all the while not certain about what she should say in response to his words. For several moments, she remained silent as the tears began to burn her eyes and effortlessly streamed down her cheeks. Roughly, she wiped the moisture away with her free hand before looking back over at him. “I would never call you a coward, Baron.”

By this time, he had moved his hand away from hers but still remained seated next to her. He watched as she clasped her hands together and stared down at her intertwined fingers.

“Why not?” He asked.

“Because...” her voice broke. For whatever reason, the young woman could not find the words to continue speaking. It was clear that her thoughts were literally ravaging her. _How come it's so hard for me to tell him how I feel?_ She chastised herself.

Casting a weary glance in his direction, she noticed that his cane was casually resting next to him, the object somehow reminding her of the wayward emotions he stirred up inside of her. He had used it to defend her against the former Cat King's guards, but also to save her life when the tower had been collapsing. To Haru, it was simply impossible to even consider Baron Humbert von Gikkingen to be anything but brave and daring.

Baron watched her for several moments, but when she did not speak, he took a deep breath before crawling up onto her lap. Raising a gloved hand, he touched one side of her face and spoke, his simple statement filling the embarrassed young woman's ears. “Please, talk to me, Haru.”

“I don't know what to say except that I'm sorry,” she repeated her earlier apology.

“Whatever for?” Baron asked, concern laced in his words. _This will end up going in circles unless I do something now,_ he thought sadly. “Haru, what is it you're thinking about?”

She shook her head. “I don't know if I can even explain it,” she whispered as she stared down at the folds on her skirt. “I was remembering what happened last year. Do you know what you said to me after I told you that my heart was still pounding?”

“Yes, I asked if you had been scared,” he said. “You admitted that you had been, but that you also had fun.”

She nodded. “Later, after Toto and Muta left, you told me that I could always come back, but I never felt as though there was anything that justified it,” she whispered. “I really wanted to, though.”

“You did?”

She nodded as she felt the tears stinging from beneath her eyes. “More than anything. I guess I figured that the letters would be a good reason for me to come back. I hoped that maybe you'd have been happy to see me...” Her voice trailed.

Baron took a deep breath. “Of course, I'm happy to see you. You mustn't believe that I'm not. There has been a great deal of confusing stories and circumstances related tonight. Perhaps my abrupt behavior made it impossible for us to talk openly about what happened last year,” he paused. “Your feelings towards me haven't changed, have they?”

She shook her head. “No, they haven't. In fact, I think they've gotten stronger.”

“I see,” he smiled up at her.

“It's stupid, isn't it?” The question that emerged from her was indicative that she had not seen him smiling.

“No, it's not,” he said with an adamant shake of his head. “Of course, it doesn't change the fact that you're now quite confused.”

“Is it that obvious?” She asked.

Baron responded with a slight chuckle. “Yes, Haru, it is. Perhaps it has something to do with the letters you mentioned earlier. How do you feel about the person who wrote those letters to your mother?”

“I like him, and I want to help him if I can,” she whispered. “That's why I came to the Refuge tonight. I thought that maybe he and you...”

“...Were the same,” he finished for her. When she nodded, he continued. “Is that all?”

“No, and I keep asking myself why I feel that way if they are just words on several hundred pieces of paper. I know that what I feel for him is similar to what I've always felt for you. When I saw you again, I realized that nothing had changed.”

“You've changed,” he said simply.

In response to these words, she shook her head sadly. “I don't know if I have. I mean; I'm eighteen, but I don't know what I want to do with the rest of my life, and I'm afraid to say what I really feel. Earlier tonight when I saw you at the Refuge, my heart was pounding like it was out of control. It was sort of like the feeling I had when we were standing on the roof of my school and said that I had a crush on you. The problem is, I've been ignoring them because I know that these other issues take precedence.”

Baron stood up and instead of distancing himself from her, he inched his way closer to where she was seated. “Selflessness is a very redeemable quality.”

In lieu of a response, Haru simply looked at the clock before returning her focus to him. “Maybe we should continue this in the morning, it's nearly one and we're both tired.”

Baron's smile widened until two tiny fangs were visible on either side of his mouth. “I must say, that was not a very effective diversion tactic.”

“Maybe, but something tells me we'll still be getting nowhere with this,” she responded helplessly. “You know how I feel about you, but I have no way of knowing if you feel anything for me. To you, I'm probably nothing more than a client. That's what hurts the most. I've been sitting here and making a complete fool of myself and you haven't said anything.” She paused, all the while trying to keep herself from crying. “Let's just go to sleep and forget that this conversation ever happened, okay? Tomorrow, I can show you the letters.”

Without thinking about what she was doing, she abruptly stood up. This left Baron suddenly grasping hold of the fabric of her blouse and holding on as her lap abruptly disappeared from beneath him and he was left dangling. Seconds passed before he raised his head and looked up at her.

“Haru, please sit back down.”

She did as he asked and once she was seated, she blushed as he crawled off her lap and back onto the sofa. As soon as he was comfortable, he spoke. “You were right in what you said just now. I should have at least told you more than I did.”

“It doesn't matter,” she whispered.

“Yes, it does,” he said as he looked up at her. Taking a deep breath, he spoke, his next words laced in honest sincerity. “Haru, your feelings are not one-sided. I have cared deeply for you ever since our adventure a year ago.”

“Y-you did, I mean; you do?” 

He nodded. “I should not have stayed silent after you were so honest with me.” He leaned towards her and rested his hand on hers. “I started to see someone special in you the moment I arrived inside the ballroom at the Cat Kingdom. When I saw you sitting at the table picking at the tail of that detestable raw fish, I realized that there was a reason why I had come. It was not just to defeat the Cat King, or share a dance with you; it was to get you safely home and break the spell that you were under.”

He paused as he looked at her, his earnest green eyes meeting her brown ones. “You captured a part of me that day, Haru and it was something that I never forgot. Even with that knowing, there was still that part of me that realized that no matter what happened, there existed no feasible way for us to have been together. Our physical differences were pretty obvious and I knew that I could never have expected you to sacrifice what you are for my sake.”

“I would have done it,” she whispered.

“I know you would have, even if it was for all the wrong reasons,” he said gently.

“What do you mean?”

“If I had told you last year how I felt, then you would have perhaps chosen to remain a cat forever. That is what you were thinking, was it not?” He asked. When she nodded he continued. “You see, that would have been a sacrifice that would have changed your entire existence. From the start, I knew that I could never have expected that of you since that was precisely what I was trying to free you of. I knew that if you had made that decision, then we would have been together, but such a life with me would have equated to a lonely existence for you.”

“I know you're right, but it's hard,” she said softly. Swallowing, she tried to figure out what she wanted to say next. After a moment's hesitation, she spoke his name. “Baron?”

“Yes?”

“Are you saying that you actually...care for me?”

“Yes, that is what I'm saying,” he said as he patted her hand. “You mean a great deal to me, Haru, and during this past year, I have missed you terribly.”

“Really? I mean; you're not just saying that, are you?” She asked as she felt the gentle pressure of his hand against hers.

“No, I'm not just saying that,” he said with an adamant shake of his head.

She smiled weakly, but despite her unwillingness to end the conversation, she yawned.

“Perhaps we should get some rest and tomorrow we can have a look at those letters.” When he saw her nodding, he continued speaking. “Now, what shall we do about the sleeping arrangements?”

Haru took a deep breath as she looked down at him. “I don't want to sound forward, but my only wish right now is to have you nearby.”

Baron smiled as he looked into the eyes of the young woman. “I don't perceive it as being forward; in fact, I do not wish to be too far away from you either. As you noted, I do need to be in a place that grants me at least some independence. Given what you said earlier, your guest room may not be too terribly ideal.” As he spoke, he reached for his cane and the suitcase. This was an indication that he would once again require her assistance.

Noticing this, she leaned over so that he could climb up onto her shoulder. Once he was comfortable, she stood up and left the room. The light she turned off before making her way up the stairs.


	20. Breakfast with Baron

**Chapter 20: Breakfast with Baron**

A sunny morning and blue sky greeted Haru the following day as she opened her eyes and rolled over onto one side. The sun was streaming in through the window, the rays casting shadows around the room.

Her gaze came to rest on the cow shaped alarm clock that was next to her bed. The numbers read that it was close to nine and indicated that it was time to get up. She shifted her gaze to another corner of the room. “Are you awake?” She spoke softly.

When no answer emerged, she sat up and looked over at the large throw pillow that was on the other side of the room. There she saw a waistcoat draped to the left of where Baron was resting. Next to that, he had carefully placed his hat and cane. Noting that he was still asleep, Haru smiled. His body was curved in an arc and to his right; she could see his tail against the bright pinkness of the pillow.

At that moment, she realized that she had found the ideal place for him to sleep. It accompanied his size and stature perfectly and was conveniently nearby.

She smiled as she carefully crawled out of bed and tiptoed her way towards the half open door. Making her way out of the room, she headed down the stairs in the direction of the basement. After finding the letters several days before, she recalled that her old doll house was situated on one side of the storage room.

_Maybe I have a halfway decent teacup and pot in there,_ she thought as she descended the second set of stairs. Reaching the landing, she smiled as she entered the small room and immediately saw the doll house situated where she remembered.

Approaching the object, she opened the side panel and looked inside. It was still in perfect order and for a brief moment, she was grateful that she had decided against selling it. After a quick glance, she located the teapot and several teacups and saucers. _This is perfect,_ she thought. She stuck the saucers in the pocket of her shirt and then began to stack several of the cups together. With her other hand, she grabbed the teapot and left the room.

Once she had made it back up the stairs, she took the dusty dollhouse items over to the sink and carefully began to wash and dry them. Once they were all clean, she placed them on the kitchen table. Next, she returned to the counter, grabbed the tea kettle, filled it with water, returned it to the stove, and turned on the heat.

_I guess Baron will still need some breakfast plates, utensils, a chair and table,_ she thought. _If I can find these things, then we can have breakfast together._ A slight smile covered her features as she contemplated how it would look to see her refined friend sitting on the kitchen table Indian style.

Down in the basement, she began to once more collect the items that she figured he might need. Once her hands were full, she went back upstairs.

Coming into the kitchen a second time, she put the utensils and remaining dishes into the sink to wash. Next, she placed the small table and chair next to where she usually sat during meals. Finally, she reached for a damp cloth and began to wipe the table and chair down before placing the teapot, a cup, and saucer on it.

Before returning to her room to see if Baron was awake, she checked to see if the water was boiling. Discovering that it was not, she went back up the stairs.

As she came into her room, she smiled when she saw that he was sitting up. “Good morning,” she said. “How'd you sleep?”

“Very well,” he said. “And you?”

“Okay,” she responded. “Are you hungry?”

“Yes, quite,” he said smiling. “I didn’t have a chance to have any angel food cake last night.”

“Well, I started brewing some tea downstairs,” she began. “Actually, I just started the water. I came back to see if you were awake and wanted to ask if you would join me for breakfast.”

“I’d be delighted,” he said with a smile and a nod. “Can you give me a lift?”

Haru nodded as she got down on her knees in front of the pillow and waited for him to hop up onto her shoulder.

“I figured that once we had breakfast, we could start reading through the letters if that's okay,” she offered as they came out of the room and descended the stairs.

“That sounds fine,” he said as they entered the kitchen. Coming into the room, Baron jumped down onto the larger table and walked over to the smaller one that she had brought up from the basement. Sitting down in the small chair, he looked up at her. “You did more than heat the water, I see,” he said smiling. As if the emphasize his point; he reached over and picked up the empty teacup and looked down at it. “This is quite nice.”

Haru smiled as she began to mix some of the tea together. Trying to remember the taste of the tea that she had had at the Bureau, she attempted to mix the ingredients in a similar fashion. “I hope this is going to be good,” she mused as she added some water to the finished blend.

“I'm sure it will be excellent,” Baron said smiling as he watched her finish and came over to the table with the canister.

“I’ll pour some for you when it’s ready,” she said. “What would you like for breakfast?”

“What do you usually have?” He asked.

“A fried egg on a piece of toast with some lettuce,” she replied. “Would that be okay or should I just scramble some eggs?”

“Scrambled eggs would be fine,” he said. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

Haru smiled despite herself. “No, but if I need any help, I'll ask.”

Baron nodded but watched as she quickly made breakfast.

When the eggs were finished cooking, she brought them over to the table and placed his smaller plate in front of him. Returning to the sink, she found the matching doll house utensils and after washing them off, she dried them before coming over to the table and placing them within reach.

“I think the tea is ready,” she said as she picked up his teapot as well as the canister. Walking over to the sink, she poured some of the tea into the small teapot. “I never thought I would actually be putting tea into this thing,” she mused as a small amount of the brown colored liquid splashed into the sink. Finishing, she grabbed a towel and wiped the remnants of tea from the pot before bringing both it and the canister back over to the table.

“Your efforts are greatly appreciated, Haru,” he said as she placed the teapot on the smaller table. A small milk pitcher was then placed next to his left arm. Looking down at the completed meal, Baron smiled. “You seem to have remembered everything, thank you.”

She smiled weakly. _Now, if only I could help you to remember your past this easily,_ she thought as she sat down at the table and the two friends began to eat.

~~~~~

Just before they had finished breakfast, Haru looked at him. “Should I refill your teapot, Baron?”

“No, I’ve had quite enough, thank you, and as I surmised, your tea was wonderful.” He smiled as she picked up the plate and took the dirty dishes over to the sink. Once everything was soaking in fresh dishwater, Haru turned away from it.

“I guess it’s time to get busy with those letters, huh?” She whispered, but her thoughts were literally racing a mile a minute. _What if we're wrong and it turns out that Baron is only a Creation?_ She asked herself.

Taking notice of the worry that seemed to overwhelm his friend, Baron spoke as he hopped back onto her shoulder. “Are you worried?”

“A little,” she confessed. “I mean; what if this doesn't help or it makes things worse?”

“Could things actually be worse than they already are?” He asked softly. “Haru, if I am who you believe me to be, then it is quite a tragedy that I cannot remember where I came from or if I even have a family.”

“Touché,” she whispered as they made their way back into her room. As soon as they were both comfortably seated there, she looked at him. “Baron, something confuses me.”

“What's that, Love?” He asked.

Upon hearing him address her in that way, Haru blushed slightly as she momentarily looked away. After some moments passed, she found her voice and spoke. “Last night, Lune said that Ian was being sent on a wild goose chase back in the Cat Kingdom. If he’s there for a long enough time, couldn’t he turn into a cat?”

“He might, it happened to you,” he said. “But, you do recall that when you left a year ago, you did turn back into a human.”

“Yes, but that was because I got out of there before dawn,” she objected. “If Ian turns into a cat and doesn’t get out, then he will be stuck there as a cat, right?”

“I’m not really sure,” Baron responded as he thoughtfully rubbed his chin with his hand. “Do you remember what happened just before you were turned into a cat?”

“Yes, the old Cat King made some remark about me being half-cat already. It was only after I said that I couldn’t marry Lune because he was a cat and I wasn’t.”

“Do you think that it’s possible that the old Cat King was the one who turned you into a cat in the first place?” He asked. “You do recall that later he said that he would change you back if you were to marry him.” 

“I remember,” Haru began. “Does that mean that the Cat King is the one who has the power to decide who can enter and leave the Cat Kingdom?” When Baron did not immediately respond, she continued. “I just figured that with Ian being there, that maybe that might be reason enough for them to put a spell on him.”

“It’s hard to ascertain what their intentions are,” Baron said. “The Cat King does seem to be the only one who has the power to control that particular magic, but do you honestly believe that Lune would use it so frivolously?”

“Generally, he wouldn’t,” she agreed. “But, what if he knew that his friends were in some sort of danger? Would he scrap being rational and fair and come to their aid?” Without waiting for him to respond, she continued. “If Ian was an overt threat to us, don’t you think that Lune would do more than just let him run free in the maze? None of this makes any sense.”

Baron nodded. “I agree, and much of what I know about the Cat Kingdom or its use of magic is strictly theoretical. Given the information that was gathered last year, perhaps it would be wise for us to give Lune the benefit of the doubt. After all, he did not come out and say what Ian’s fate was going to be, he merely relayed what had happened. From what I understand about Lune, I am left to conclude that he is not yet finished with Ian von Gikkingen.”

In lieu of a response, an unconscious tremor cursed through Haru’s body. This non-verbal response did not go unnoticed and, in fact, heightened Baron’s concerns. “Everything will be alright.”

“Maybe,” she whispered with a shake of her head. “I just figured that if Lune had put him in a dungeon in the first place, then maybe it would be better than just letting him go free in the maze.”

“Well, consider this,” Baron began. “If the guards don’t go and assemble themselves like dominoes, then Ian may find himself going a bit mad in there. Perhaps since our visit, they may have learned what not to do in that sort of circumstance.”

“I don’t know,” she mused. “I just can’t believe that Lune let him go. He knows about the curse and about what Ian did to you.”

Seeing this, Baron looked at her intently. “Why does this trouble you?” He asked softly.

“I don’t know.”

“Yes you do,” he said gently. “Just tell me, Haru.”

Taking a deep breath, she looked at him. “Last night after you fell asleep, I was thinking about it,” she confessed. “I know that it seems fated that you and Ian would ultimately have some sort of confrontation about all this. Maybe that’s what I’m most afraid of.” She covered her face with her hands and shook her head as the tears streamed down her cheeks and dampened her fingers.

“In other words; you believe that if Ian was somehow cat sized, that it might even out the odds a bit,” he said.

Haru nodded. “Yes, but I'm still worried. What if this doesn't help? What if we're just grasping at straws?”

Baron climbed down from off the pillow where he had been seated and started to walk over to where she was. “Come down here, Love.”

She nodded as she got off the edge of the bed and allowed her legs to fold beneath her weight on the floor. Once she was seated in front of him, he spoke again. “Now, pick me up, please.”

Carefully, she reached down and wrapped a hand around his torso. As she gently lifted him off the ground and brought him closer, she could suddenly feel his gloved hand brushing against her face. This gesture was reminiscent to the morning they had parted company the year before. “Do you believe in what you are doing, Haru?”

“Yes, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m scared,” she confessed weakly.

He smiled up at her. “I know, and in your own way, you are trying to protect me in the very manner that I protected you.”

She smiled sadly as she cast a weary glance towards the letters. “I’m not doing a very good job, am I?”

“No, quite the contrary,” he said as he allowed his hand to continue stroking her cheek. “Maybe you would feel better if we started going through those letters.”

Haru nodded as she lowered him back to the ground. Once he was back on his feet, he went over to the stack of letters and ran his hand across one of them before picking it up.

_Will Baron be as refined as a human as he is a cat figurine?_ She asked herself as she stared at him. _If this even works out, will I ever be able to measure up to his level of sophistication?_

“Haru, would you mind helping me?” Baron's voice suddenly broke into her thoughts and she turned to see that he was extending an envelope towards her.

Nodding, she accepted the object before pulling the contents out of the envelope before extending the two pages to him. She watched as he began to read the flowing script that danced across the page. “The penmanship is remarkable,” he said.

“It's not just that, he writes a lot of depth. Perhaps it wasn’t the case in the first few letters, but the latter ones really do read like poetry.”

Silence descended on the room and she was left watching as he continued to read.

As soon as he reached the end of the first page, she watched as he tossed it to one side before continuing. Once the second page drifted to the floor, she extended the contents of another envelope to him. “Baron, what is your writing like?”

“It's similar to this, I think,” he said as the phone rang.

Taking a deep breath, Haru crawled her way over to answer it. “Hello?”

“Haru,” her mother's voice emerged. “I tried to call twice yesterday; once in the afternoon and then last night. I wanted to let you know that I made it to the convention.”

“I'm sorry I wasn't here. Yesterday afternoon I went to the grocery store, and then last night, I was so absorbed in reading these letters that I didn't hear the phone,” she said. “I spent all day long trying to figure out if there was anything in them that might help the von Gikkingen family.” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “After I sent Humbert’s father an email, he called here. He told me that he was really grateful that I had contacted him and that he and his wife intended on coming here to continue their search.”

“That's crazy,” Naoko responded. “Why would they think their son is in Japan?”

Haru cast a glance over towards where Baron was seated and still reading the second letter. She returned her attention to the phone as he raised his head and began to listen to her half of the conversation.

“I don't know why,” she mumbled. “Maybe there was something in the last letter that sort of indicated that he might have settled here. Some of the letters were filled with questions about Japan. He even confessed to being fascinated with it.”

“That's true, he was, and there was one letter that I distinctly remember him telling me that he had dreamt of living here, but that he couldn’t move because of some sort of family obligation. Haru, is it possible that he didn’t want to stay in England at all and that he left to get out of doing what his family wanted?”

“I don’t think so,” she said honestly. “I mean; he doesn’t seem to be the sort of person who would just throw away his responsibilities or hurt his parents like that. If you ask me, I think there is more to this than just some guy wanting to leave his nation of birth.”

“Perhaps, your theory is a bit more rational than the fears I have had since leaving to come here,” Naoko said. When she spoke again, her voice cracked with emotion. “Honey, I'm really grateful to you for doing this on my behalf.”

“That’s alright. I know that you care about him; I can tell by how worried you sound.”

“It’s crazy,” Naoko said. “I just can’t help but remember all those years that Humbert and I shared so many letters with one another. Right now, I simply can’t imagine that that young man might be … dead.”

“I don't think he is, Mom,” Haru said softly. “Try to enjoy the convention. I mean; you've been looking forward to it for months and it would be really sad if this situation were to put a damper on it. I'll call you after the von Gikkingens get here.”

“Thank you Haru. I love you,” Naoko said.

“I love you too, Mom, have a good time,” she responded as the phone line went dead.

Baron looked at her as she returned the phone to the cradle. “Your mother is worried too, isn't she?”

“I think she feels guilty about not being here to help her friend.” She said as she took a deep breath. Tears were now catching in her eyes and she turned and looked at him. “Baron, so many people care. I don't just mean Muta and Toto, but Minka and Aberdeen, me, the von Gikkingens, and my mother. She cares so much that she asked me to go through these letters because she couldn't be here to do it herself.”

“It’s a caring and loving gesture,” he said.

“Yes, everyone cares about him...I mean; you. They care about you.” Lowering her head, she could feel the tears unconsciously streaming down her cheeks. “I don’t know what I’ll do if I can’t help you to remember.”

Baron looked at her, his slanted green eyes soft as he motioned towards the letter that he had been reading. “I know this is hard for you, Haru,” he began, “but if it helps, there is a little something that I do remember from this letter.”


	21. Epiphany

**Chapter 21: Epiphany**

Haru raised her head. Her eyes were stinging from the tears that were still streaming down her cheeks. “You remember something?” She asked in a broken voice.

Baron nodded and offered a slight smile. “It's a rather an insignificant piece of trivia, but I recall something about an old wardrobe. He describes it in one of these letters. Let me read the passage.” Taking a deep breath, he began. _“In the hallway of the house where I live, there is an old wardrobe. It’s large, brown, and very much like what you might have imagined when you read the Narnian Chronicles. Perhaps living in England has something to do with that particular comparison. I remember when I was very young how I would sometimes hide inside it. I always believed as a small child that there existed a land beyond the wardrobe that could transport me somewhere as if by magic.”_

As he finished reading, he raised his head and looked at her. “There is something familiar about a child walking down a long hallway in a giant house, just as it was described here. For some reason, I seem to recall something about a child who would hide inside a wardrobe and wait for something to happen.” He paused. “Maybe it was a dream because I would sometimes hear this little voice inside of me saying ‘open the door’. Regardless of the rationale, I wanted to see if it would take me someplace else. Of course, I would always wake up back at the Refuge to hear one of Muta and Toto’s many arguments.”

“Yes, but, the Refuge itself is magic,” Haru whispered. “Isn’t it?”

“In many ways, yes,” he said as his gaze locked with hers. “Perhaps because I live there, I have ceased to believe that it holds the same sort of the magic as what is described here.”

“But it does,” she objected. “Even though he’s rather stubborn about admitting it, I think Muta believes it too. Last night when I was talking to him about the origins of the Cat Bureau, he said that you created it by basically thinking it into existence. He said that you did it because you needed something to occupy yourself.”

“Is that really what he said?” He asked. “I never pondered it in that way.”

“You didn’t?” She asked. When he shook his head, she continued. “Muta told me that you designed the building that houses the Cat Bureau, the courtyard…everything. Don’t you remember?”

Baron did not respond, instead, he merely looked at her half expecting her to continue. When she eventually did, he was surprised by the disbelief in her voice. “Baron, how can you not remember something as significant as that? I mean; it happened after…” Her voice suddenly trailed off as she recalled the other things that Muta had related to her. Without warning, her face suddenly lost all its color and she looked away.

“Is something the matter?” He asked.

She nodded as she raised her head and looked at him. “Muta told me that if there ever comes a day that you are able to remember your past, then that could mark the end of the Cat Bureau itself.”

“He said that?”

“Yes.” She found the courage to look at him. “Baron, I can’t imagine the Cat Bureau ceasing to exist.”

“Nor can I,” he said as he took a deep breath. “It would seem that if there is a drawback to my remembering the past, then that would be it.”

“Yes,” she whispered. “But, isn’t there something we can do to keep that from happening? I mean; so many people want you to remember who you are.”

 _It’s just like Haru to worry more about others than herself,_ he thought as he took a deep breath. _If only I could take her in my arms and tell her that all will be put right._ He raised his head and looked at her. She was still sitting on the floor, her head lowered and her hands clasped. Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke her name in the form of a question. “Haru?”

She raised her head and waited for him to say what he intended. After a moment’s hesitation, he did. “When I see Toto and Muta again, I will make certain that they do whatever they can to continue even if I am away. I promise.”

“You think they will stop squabbling long enough to do that?” She asked.

Baron chuckled, but offered her a sincere nod. “They may not get along with one another all the time, but trust me, they are good friends and they will help if asked.” He paused. “I have come to realize that the fate of the Bureau should not be on our minds while we do this. If it is meant to stay where it is, then it will.”

“I trust you, Baron, more than I have ever trusted anyone else,” she whispered.

As these words hung in the air, the two of them sank into companionable silence.

They remained like this for some time, until Baron came over to where she was sitting and rested his gloved hand against her larger one.

She raised her head to see that his green eyes were regarding her intently. _The last time he looked this determined was in the Cat Kingdom just after he asked me to dance,_ she thought. Instead of verbalizing these thoughts, she remained silent.

“We should probably continue reading these. If I can recall some insignificant detail from one letter, then maybe I can remember even more.”

“Do you believe that you wrote these?” She asked meekly.

“I’m starting to,” he said. “Although remembering specific details may take a bit more time and patience. There is something familiar about this person, although I cannot put my finger on it just yet.”

She nodded and reached for a small stack of letters. With several resting on her lap, she began pulling the contents from each of the envelopes. Once she had placed the first letter on the floor in front of him, she took a deep breath. “Baron, do you think that maybe a recent photograph might help you to remember something?”

“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Did you find one?”

“No, but since I haven’t read all the letters yet, maybe there’s something in them that could help us,” she responded.

Growing silent, she watched him as he began to read. For whatever reason, she found herself staring at him in the same way she had done when he had carried her up the tower steps a year ago.

When he raised his head and caught her staring, she flushed slightly, leaned over, and began to dig her way through the next group of letters.

After some time, she decided to go out on a limb and try sending Michael another email. _Why didn’t I think of this before?_ She asked herself as she crawled her way over to her computer and turned it on.

As it was booting up, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She was hopeful that the baron and his wife had not yet left for the airport and could provide her with a necessary photograph of their son. In the back of her mind, she figured that if there was anything that might help to jog Baron’s memory, than that would be it.

~~~~~

As the early evening descended on Tokyo; the British mid-morning sun was shining in through the windows of the von Gikkingen manor. Inside the drawing room, Steven von Gikkingen sat alone in one of the chairs where his grandparents had often taken tea. It had been close to a day since the house’s other inhabitants had left on their prospective journeys.

The questions about Ian von Gikkingen’s whereabouts literally ravaged the boy’s mind. Ian had not returned the night before and the house was, for the most part, empty. _Was Dad really in the Cat Kingdom and was there really a curse? Did that place even exist like Dad insisted or was it merely a fantasy land? Where was the mysterious black crow, and why did he see the importance of speaking with me?_ These questions seemed to dance around in his mind ever since his conversation with Toto had happened.

Steven was starting to believe that his father’s raging jealousy was going to ultimately destroy everything. _Just like he destroyed my mother,_ the boy thought sadly.

Sighing, his thoughts continued. _Grandfather probably knows the truth and that’s why he is so insistent on finding Uncle Humbert in the first place. Maybe he wants to keep my father from inheriting the title._

The boy’s conscience was, by this time, quickly getting the better of him and he was not certain he really cared either way. In fact, he could now understand why it was his grandparents had been disappointed in the way he turned out. He had done everything he could to prove to his father that he was worthy and through that; he had successfully pushed his grandparents away.

He glanced down and using one hand, he pushed the sleeve of his shirt up to the elbow. There on his arm, dark colored bruises lined the forearm and revealed the secret he had painstakingly tried to conceal. Steven was not exempt from his father’s rage, but this, sadly, did not stop the boy from turning around and bringing unnecessary harm to a cat as well as to the butler’s innocent granddaughter.

“Bullies beget bullies,” were the words that Michael had often said, but the baron had no idea what was happening to his own grandson. If Steven had his way, the patriarch would never find out.

“Will anyone ever have a reason to be proud of me?” He spoke softly, his words filling the emptiness of the drawing room. “I just don’t get it; I have an uncle that I don’t really know and a father who says I should not question his actions or intentions. Why does my father hate everyone so much?”

Standing up, he started to walk towards the door leading out of the room. Stopping momentarily, he turned around and stared at the candle still burning on the windowsill.

“How can I not question?” He spoke as fresh tears stung his eyes and ultimately found their way down his cheeks.

Instead of remaining in the drawing room, Steven made his way along the corridor until he stopped at the door leading into his grandfather’s private study. Normally, he did not dare enter this room at all, but with no one else in the house, it did not seem to matter. He decided that this would be the most ideal time for him to find out whatever he could about Humbert von Gikkingen. If anything, it would enable him to understand why it was his grandparents were so intent on traveling halfway around the world in order to continue their search.

Sighing, Steven pressed the door handle down and pushed his way into the room. The study was dark and as he silently entered, he began to grope his way around in search of a light switch. When he finally found one, he turned the light on.

Even with the light, the room still felt much darker than the other rooms in the house. Steven seemed not to mind and instead of turning on another light, his gaze came to rest first on the sofa, then the coffee table, and finally, the computer.

 _This is strange,_ he thought as he approached the cluttered desk and sat down on the plush office chair. _Grandfather never locked anything up, even though he implied all this time that he didn’t trust my father…or me._

Taking a deep breath, Steven turned on the computer and waited for it to finish booting up. As he waited, he opened a side drawer and began to rummage around in it. Instead of finding private papers and official documents, he found a stack of papers that looked as though they were being preserved for sentimental reasons.

Picking up the small stack, he began to look through them and discovered drawings with landscapes, houses, and animals. Many were simple penciled sketches, but several contained color and were done using paints, charcoal, or chalk.

He continued to carefully sort through the stack, but stopped abruptly and stared down at one of the more intricate pieces of artwork. It looked to be a handmade birthday card that his uncle had made for his grandfather several months prior to his disappearance.

The card was a chalk drawing of the seaside. In the middle of it was a single orange and yellow colored candle. All around it, the waves looked as though they were drifting by and making the simple object appear as though it was moving across the surface of the page.

Steven felt more tears catching in his eyes as his gaze shifted from the drawing to the set of lyrics that graced the bottom half of the page.

_I'll be your candle on the water_  
This flame inside of me will grow  
Keep holding on you'll make it  
Here's my hand so take it  
Look for me reaching out to show  
As sure as rivers flow  
I'll never let you go… 

The script flowed in very much the same fashion and the boy found himself staring for several moments at the entire page. After some time had passed, the initials of the artist suddenly leapt out at him, leaving his mind in an absolute tailspin.

He turned away for several moments only to glance towards the door that led out of the room. For whatever reason, the boy was suddenly fearful that his presence in the room would be construed as wrong. Realizing that he was, in fact, alone, Steven turned back around and stared down at the paper. _Could this be the reason why Grandfather and Grandmother insisted on having that candle in the drawing room window?_ He asked himself.

Instead of contemplating this further, the boy placed the stack of drawings on the desk. Still holding the card in one hand, he began to whisper. “I’ll be your candle on the water…”

Seconds slowly ticked by and he could feel the tears streaming down his face. This blurred his vision, but for whatever reason, he began to speak, his words laced in the very same pain and agony that he had been carrying ever since his mother had left.

“Uncle Humbert, you’ve gotta be alive…” His whispered words continued as he ran his hand across the drawing. “…If you’re as nice as they all say, then I really do need you, too…” His voice trailed as he tried to wipe the persistent tears from his face.

What he did not notice was that at that moment, the door to the study had slowly opened and an elderly woman had entered the room. She was standing in the threshold watching and listening as the boy was speaking. Upon hearing his words, a small smile suddenly graced her aged face. Reaching inside the pocket of her dress, she extracted a handkerchief and watched as the boy tried to regain control over his wayward emotions.

“What’s the matter with me anyway?” His final words emerged and he wiped his hand haphazardly over his face. It was evident that he was trying to sound more courageous than he actually felt.

“I would say that you’re having what many would call an epiphany, Steven,” she said softly as she came over and pressed the white piece of cloth into his hand.

“What’s that?” He whispered as he brushed the proffered object over his eyes.

The woman smiled. “It’s a moment of profound insight. You are realizing a great many things about your family as well as what is really important to you.”

“Maybe,” he whispered. With a shrug of his shoulders, he made a second attempt at wiping the tears out of his eyes. Once he had managed this, he lowered his hand before looking up at her. “Eleanor, w-what are you doing here?” When she did not immediately respond, he continued, his voice slightly stronger. “I thought everyone had gone.”

She shook her head, the smile still touching her lips. “Baron von Gikkingen thought that you might need a friend, so he asked me to stay on.”

“I thought he hated me,” Steven whispered.

“No, he never hated you,” Eleanor said. “I can understand why you might reach that conclusion since the baron and baroness took Heinrich and Madeline to Japan and did not invite you.”

“Yeah,” Steven sniffed. “I figured that my grandfather liked them more than me.”

“Oh dear heart, that is not the case at all,” Eleanor said gently as she reached for a nearby chair and pulled it closer so she could sit down next to him. Once she had lowered herself into it, she continued. “Your grandfather loves you very much.”

“Well, then he doesn’t really show it, does he?” The boy asked brokenly.

“Perhaps the reason for that lies with you and your ability to share those sentimental feelings with him,” Eleanor began. “You have not exactly been approachable, Steven. In truth, you have been disrespectful towards everyone in this house because you have observed your father doing the very same. You are of noble birth and there is no denying that, but that does not make you better than the rest of the people in this house. The difference between your father and grandfather lies in the fact that your grandfather treats all of us kindly and with respect.” She paused as she regarded the boy intently. “That is also something that your grandparents successfully passed on to your uncle.”

“Is that why my dad was jealous of him?” Steven asked.

“I would imagine that that could be the reason, yes,” Eleanor said with a nod. “Humbert was someone who loved his family over all else. I think now it is time for me to share with you the things that you should know about him, and not just the words of spite that have emerged from your father. Humbert did a great deal for you that I am almost certain that you were not even aware of it.”

“Me?” Steven asked softly. “Why?”

“Well, you are his nephew, and he knew what you had been through with the divorce and your mother leaving. We all knew how hard things were for you, but it was quite difficult for any of us to ask how you were doing, so we stayed silent.”

“I wish you hadn’t,” he confessed. “Then at least I would have known that someone cared.”

Eleanor nodded as she instinctively reached over and touched his arm. When he unconsciously cringed, she gently moved the sleeve of his shirt up and revealed the darkened skin beneath the fabric. Upon seeing this, she gasped. “It was definitely right of the baron to ask me to see to your needs. It would seem that Madeline is not the only child who has been hurt in this house.”

“It’s no big deal,” he whispered.

“Yes, it is a ‘big deal’. I will do what I can to make certain that you are not abused again, Steven.” Once these words were out, she reached for the card that he had been looking at. It was clear to her that mentioning the abuse any further would make the boy uncomfortable, so she opted to changing the subject. “I remember this,” she said.

“You do?”

“Yes, Humbert made it for your grandfather for his fifty-fifth birthday,” Eleanor said. “I remember fondly how the baron would walk around the manor humming the melody to that particular song. I suppose your uncle heard the song as well and decided to use the lyrics for his father’s birthday card.”

“I don’t remember,” he whispered.

“It was just before you came to live at the house,” she said. “We had thrown a special party for your grandfather’s birthday.” She paused, her smile never faltering. “I still remember him insisting that we all address him as ‘Michael’ instead of formally. He has always been a very informal sort of person, but Heinrich’s training prevented him from addressing the baron informally. Such a pity, since they have known each other for so many years.”

“How long have they known each other?” Steven asked.

“Well, Heinrich and I have been in service with your family for many years. I was a young woman when I came to the manor and began working here. It was my second placement and one that I was very grateful to get,” Eleanor said. “Heinrich arrived here at about the same time I did, but instead of coming from another posting, he had arrived straight out of Butler training. This was long before Michael von Gikkingen assumed the title and became our ‘boss’.”

“Were Heinrich and my grandfather friends?”

Eleanor smiled and nodded. “It was just after the war had ended. I was still learning to serve tea and keep house when I came to work for Humbert and Louise von Gikkingen. Your great grandfather is who your uncle was named after.”

“What were they like?”

“They were a very kind couple, but a trifle too elegant for the tastes of their only son,” she said smiling at the memory. “While they were active in society and always showing up at events and galas, their son was constantly getting into trouble.”

“You mean; my grandfather was a troublemaker?”

“In a way, yes, but not in a cruel sense,” Eleanor said. “He merely did the things that boys typically did like climbing trees, ripping his trousers, forgetting about examinations in school, or flirting with girls. The truth was, although your grandfather loved his parents, he never embraced the lifestyle of a noble. He preferred terrorizing chickens and hanging out with Heinrich to tying a bowtie or learning how to waltz. Although there is a good fifteen years between them in age, there was always a sort of brotherly love that existed between them. It was for that reason alone that I believe your grandfather could never get used to having Heinrich address him with a title. Perhaps this trip will help both of them find their way back to the friendship they shared as young men.”

“So that’s why they always seemed like buddies,” Steven said. “My dad always said it was stupid, but maybe it’s not.”

“No, it’s not stupid at all,” Eleanor confirmed. “You see, as a lad, your grandfather was often alone and had no real friends to speak of. So it came as no surprise that he ultimately became friends with Heinrich.”

Steven looked down at his lap. “I wish I had a friend like that.”

Eleanor smiled gently. “Don’t worry. You’ve still got time.”

Before Steven could so much as offer a response, the computer made a loud beeping sound, and he raised his head. During their conversation, he had forgotten that he had actually turned it on.

“It looks as though there’s a new message in your grandfather’s email,” Eleanor said. “Maybe you should go ahead and open it to see if it’s important.”

“Are you sure?” Steven asked.

The housekeeper wordlessly nodded.

After several moments of hesitation, the boy silently turned towards the computer and noticed the message at the top of the screen. Clicking the icon, he waited for the message to open. When it finally did, he read through it and his jaw dropped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No copyright infringement intended. The lyrics are property of Walt Disney and come from the film 'Pete's Dragon'.


	22. Drawings and Surprises

**Chapter 22: Drawings and Surprises**

As the boy turned away from the computer, Eleanor saw a haunted look cross his face. “Steven, what is it?” She asked.

He silently motioned towards the screen and waited as the housekeeper leaned over and began to read.  
~~~~~  
 **Hello Michael,**

**I know this may be a long shot, but could you please send me a recent photograph of Humbert? That way if I find him here, then I will know for certain if it’s him. I thank you in advance, and await your arrival in Tokyo on Tuesday.**

**Yours sincerely,  
Haru **  
~~~~~  
After reading the message, the housekeeper raised her head and looked at the boy. “You are surprised by this?” She asked. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Steven mumbled more to himself than to her.

“Oh, I think you do,” Eleanor responded. “Just tell me Steven. It may make coping with this issue a bit easier.”

The boy looked at her. “I was just remembering when my father and I talked. He said that Uncle Humbert had been sent to Tokyo. That’s where this email came from. Do you think this Haru may have found him?”

“I don’t know, but perhaps we can find the requested photograph in Humbert’s old room,” Eleanor said.

Steven motioned towards the computer. “Shouldn’t I answer this first?” He asked.

“Not just yet, let’s go to his room and get the picture first and then you can scan it and send it over with your reply,” she suggested. “Besides, I think I should show you one of the projects he was working on just before he disappeared.”

Agreeing, the boy got to his feet and followed her out of the study.

As the two of them walked through the house, Steven took a deep breath, his thoughts literally raging as he looked at the stance of the housekeeper. She seemed different than he had always assumed. If truth were known, everyone was different than he once thought. This led him to ponder whether or not his father would ever realize what special people they were surrounded by.

“Eleanor, can I ask you something?” He eventually asked.

“Of course,” she said with a nod. “What do you want to know?”

“I was just wondering why my dad turned out differently than my uncle,” he mused.

“I don’t really know, but I think that maybe some people forgot that Ian was a different person than Humbert. Perhaps your father resented being compared to his brother so often. It made him feel rather like a shadow instead of a person.”

“But, I was too little to remember even having an uncle,” the boy objected. “I mean; why did my father treat me like this?” He glanced down at his arms before looking back at her.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” she began. “But, Steven, if you were my son, I wouldn’t have done any of this to you.” She wrapped a gentle arm around his shoulders. “I would have treated you with love and kindness.”

The boy shrugged his shoulders his gaze still on the floor in front of him. “Do you think he’s alive?”

“You mean, Humbert?”

Yes,” he nodded.

“I have believed that he is for a very long time,” she said.

“Why?”

“It’s just a feeling, rather like a sixth sense.”

He nodded as though he understood, but deep inside he was still confused. “Before you came into the study, I was thinking about him. I guess I wanted to believe that he’s still alive and that he’ll one day come home. Both Toto and my dad said that he was cursed, but I don’t know if I believe in that kind of stuff. It’s sort of like admitting that magic exists.”

“Maybe it does,” she said softly. “Tell me; who is Toto?”

“If I told you, you’d probably think I’m insane,” he said.

“Try me,” she said as they reached a large mahogany door. She stopped and turned to face him. “Whatever you tell me will be kept strictly between us.”

“You mean; you won’t tell anyone what I said?” He asked insecurely.

“Who would I tell? I am not on the best of terms with your father; he basically thinks I’m a peasant,” she said. “As for your grandparents; I cannot tell them anything because they’re not here. Even if they were, I think you know that you can trust me to keep your confidence.”

Taking a deep breath, the boy relented. “Okay, yesterday after my grandparents left, my father decided to leave too. He said that he was going to the Cat Kingdom to talk to the Cat King.”

The Cat Kingdom?” Eleanor repeated.

“Yeah, that’s what he called it,” Steven mused. “After he left, I found myself back inside the drawing room. I was just standing in there thinking about stuff, and I saw this crow outside the window. It held some golden trinket in its beak and I was curious about it. So, I opened the window and the bird flew straight into the room. He dropped the trinket on the table and I picked it up. The moment I touched it, he started…talking to me.”

“The crow?”

The boy nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I know the idea of animals talking sounds kind of crazy, but it’s the truth, he really did talk to me.”

“I don’t know if I would call that crazy,” she began. “Madeline said that she could talk to cats and that she and Minka were friends. It’s strange that you’d mention this because yesterday right before they left, Madeline came to me and said that Minka had something to take care of and that I shouldn’t worry about her.”

“Minka left?” Steven asked.

“I do believe she did, her food bowl has been untouched for the past two days and her litter box is clean,” the housekeeper said. “I do hope she is safe though.” Before the boy could respond, she took a deep breath and her next words emerged. “So tell me about this crow. What specifically did he tell you?”

“He said that Uncle Humbert was cursed and living in a place called the ‘Refuge’. I didn’t really understand everything, but I can’t get it out of my mind. He said that my uncle really was turned into a cat figurine.” He took a deep breath and looked at her. “It was the very same thing Dad told me. He said that he had gotten help from the Cat King to do it and then shipped him off to Tokyo.”

“Interesting theory,” Eleanor mused.

“It’s not a theory,” Steven could feel the tears catching beneath his eyes. “My uncle’s in Tokyo and I think that Grandfather is going to find him there.”

With a calming hand, the woman rested it against his shoulder. “I can tell that you feel rather strongly about this, but do try not to get overexcited.”

“I’m not crazy,” he responded. “Eleanor you’ve got to believe me.”

“I don’t know if I can fully believe it, although it would affirm to me what I have always suspected,” she said.

“What do you mean?” He asked as he wiped the remaining tears from his eyes. “I don’t understand.”

“Steven, I am not the only one who believes that Humbert von Gikkingen is still alive. Many of the people who work for your grandparents believe it as well,” Eleanor said.

“Why?”

“Well, the reason is quite simple. Humbert was never the sort of person who would run away or abandon his family. This is why your father’s argumentation about Humbert being dead doesn’t hold water. Whatever it was that Ian did to his brother, he will ultimately have to answer for it.” As these words were spoken, Eleanor opened the door and the two of them entered the room.

Once inside Humbert’s former quarters, Eleanor closed the door and watched as Steven took in the antique style of the room.

The furnishings were very much the same as what was found in the drawing room. At the head of the bed, a large cabinet extended halfway up the wall. On the top of it were models of houses and other buildings. In the center was an A-framed house reminiscent of the drawing that Michael always carried in his pocket.

Neither of them knew that the house was an exact replica of the Cat Bureau. To the left and right of the house were nondescript pastel colored buildings. As Steven’s gaze scanned across the room, he spotted Victorian style curtains hanging in the windows on either side of the bed. Small bedside tables were beneath the windows. On one of them, an alarm clock stood as well as a lamp.

Across the room, in a small kitchen style hutch, a water cooker was placed as well as several teacups and saucers. Steven approached it and ran his hand across the wooden surface of the cabinet. “He drank a lot of tea?”

“He enjoyed it very much and had even started making his own special blends. I remember every so often, whenever I would finish my daily tasks, Humbert would invite me for a cup of tea. He always knew that because my family lived so far away, that sometimes I needed someone who was game for casual conversation.”

Steven leaned over and looked at the dried out tea leaves that were resting in the bottom of the pot. “Was this the last tea he brewed?”

“I believe it was,” she said with a nod. “After he disappeared, I came and found the pot half filled. I took it to the kitchen and drained the water and allowed the tea leaves to dry. It’s strange, but that was the way your grandfather wanted it. Everything in this room would stay the way it was left. That’s pretty much why no one has had access to it for the past five years. Of course, I was granted special allowance to come in here once a week to do the cleaning. Otherwise the room would remain untouched.”

Steven continued to stare at the teapot and as he did, he reached a hesitant hand over to one of the cups. “This makes me think of a museum, but I like it.” He ran his hand over the rim of the cup before pulling back and approaching one of the windows. “I mean; it reminds me of the drawings that I looked at in Grandfather’s desk.”

Eleanor nodded. “Yes, among other things, Humbert was always fascinated with architecture and history. He kept many books and manuscripts on both subjects and spent much of his time making sketches and creating his own artwork.”

At the window the boy looked out across the meadow. After some moments had passed, he turned back around and looked at her. “So, what did you want to show me?” He asked.

“Come over here and sit down,” Eleanor said as she watched the boy hesitantly approach a table where two chairs were placed. Once he had lowered himself in one of the chairs, she went over to a desk and opened it.

Moments slowly ticked by as she extracted what looked to be a tablet of paper. Steven immediately recognized it to be an artist’s sketchbook. He watched as the housekeeper opened and began flipping through the pages. It was at that moment that the boy realized that the notebook was full of various pieces of artwork.

Several moments later, she stopped and looked down at one of the sketches. With a gentle hand, she brushed it over the drawing before raising her head and looking at him. “Have a look at this.” She extended the sketchbook to him and once he accepted it, she watched as he looked down at the drawing.

Moments passed and as recognition dawned on him, he could feel a lump unconsciously getting caught in his throat. “Eleanor?” He whispered her name as he stared at the image that graced the page. “It’s me…” his voice trailed off. “…It’s me…and my mother…” He raised his head and sought her confirming response.

“He was working on this for your birthday, but was never able to finish it or give it to you,” she said softly. “He wanted you to know that he was very sorry about what had happened and that he wanted to be there and help you through it. Unfortunately, he disappeared a week before your birthday and was never able to fulfill that promise.”

Steven nodded but after a few moments, a look of sheer determination overcame him and he spoke. “We have to help him, Eleanor.”

“Let’s get the picture and send it to Haru,” she said. “That’s all we can do.”

“No, there’s got to be more that we can do,” he argued.

“If there is, then I don’t have any idea what that could be.”

Sighing, Steven von Gikkingen offered a slight nod. Of course, in the back of his mind, he knew that the only thing he could do was to either find Toto or the Refuge. If only he could convince himself that this option was not completely insane.

~~~~~

At the same moment his son was having some revelations of his own, Ian von Gikkingen was getting lost in the Cat Kingdom maze. Angrily he made his way through it, but kept getting lost. The tower was constantly moving, first to the left, then the right. The fact that he was completely frustrated did not help matters.

From above the maze, two pairs of slanted eyes were watching his every move. These matched the King and his trusted advisor.

“Your Majesty, I was a bit concerned by your letting him go, but now I’m rather enjoying this,” Chorney said as he covered his lips with one paw.

“My father was never the best when it came to strategically arranging the guards in the maze,” Lune said with a slight chuckle. “His advisors had been accurate at least once, though.”

“When was that, Sire?”

Lune smiled widened until two tiny fangs were visible on either side of his mouth. “Simple, it was when they said that not very many people who found themselves trapped in the maze were able to get out without going completely mad.”

As if to emphasize that point a loud shriek suddenly emerged from below and both cats glanced out across the landscape to see what had been happening as they had been speaking.

Ian had stumbled against one side of the wall and was swearing at his misfortune. “How the hell do I get out of here?” His shrill voice soon filled the cats’ triangular shaped ears.

“The only way to get out is through the tower,” one of the guards called out. He was standing on top of one of the walls and was watching the trapped human from a safe distance.

“That helps,” the man groused.

Chorney began to chuckle. “Your Majesty, if he does manage to get out; where will he end up?”

Lune leaned over and spoke. “It is unknown where the precise location will be, Chorney, but he will be transported back into the human world.”

“And if he doesn’t, then what happens?” The advisor asked.

“If he is not safely out of the Kingdom by the time Baron Humbert von Gikkingen fully remembers his past and regains human form, then Ian von Gikkingen will transform into a cat and remain as such for the rest of his days.”

“Does he know this?” Chorney asked motioning towards the man in the maze. “I mean; does he know the condition that was affixed upon his arrival?”

“No,” Lune responded simply.

“Do you think that is fair, Sire?”

“Perhaps it is not fair,” Lune began. “However, in all fairness, did Humbert von Gikkingen know what the conditions were when he took that sip of tea?” When Chorney did not respond, the monarch continued. “Ian and my father have both used the same forms of trickery and deceit in order to obtain the things they desired. As more of my father’s actions are coming to light, I have made the decision that my father must accept responsibility for his misdeeds. If he does not, then I am no better a ruler than he was.” Casting a glance towards the maze, Lune waved a grayish colored paw in the direction of where Ian was walking. “Since he has willingly come into this kingdom without an invite, then Ian will have no choice but to accept the fact that he is not above being held accountable for his actions.”

“Yes, but if he finds himself becoming one of your subjects, then what will become of him?” Chorney asked. “He cannot be sent home, none of the humans would recognize him.”

“That is true, if he becomes a cat, then he must stay for the remainder of his days in the Cat Kingdom. If that comes to pass then he will be imprisoned,” Lune said firmly. “If I had thrown him in the dungeon before becoming a cat, then he would never have been given the opportunity to leave. He was not abducted, he came here free willingly, but that was with the intent of doing harm to another and that cannot be ignored or overlooked. I do not like, nor do I approve of the things he did with my father, but giving him the opportunity to leave freely was all I could think of to do.”

“Perhaps, but you say that, all the while knowing that no one, aside from Haru and Baron have been able to traverse the king’s maze?”

Lune smiled. “There exists a small amount of sneakiness in my family it would seem.”

The advisor offered a slight chuckle as the two cats silently returned their focus to the activities going on in the maze.


	23. Friendships Old and New

**Chapter 23: Friendships Old and New**

Michael was staring out the window as they reached the outskirts of London. It had, as he had initially assumed, taken a full day of driving to reach the large metropolitan city. After a good night’s rest at a hotel, the four of them would be boarding a plane bound for Tokyo.

The trip had been relatively quiet for the most part. After about an hour into the drive, Michael had finally given up on trying to divide the driving time between himself and the butler. This was one argument that the baron stood no chance of winning.

Noting the silence that had descended on the four of them, Michael turned around and could see why it was that was the case. In the backseat, Madeline and Rose had both fallen asleep. Once again, he shifted his attention back to the butler. Heinrich was completely fixated on the road that stretched out before them and his expression embodied deep concentration.

“We’re nearly there, Sir,” Heinrich eventually offered. “It shan’t be much farther now.”

“Shan’t?” Michael mused. “That word coming from a guy who used to help me terrorize chickens back when.”

“Times have changed, M’lord,” Heinrich responded almost automatically.

“I suppose they have,” Michael said with an absentminded nod of his head. His attention returned to the side window and he took note of how civilization was coming into view. This indicated that they were almost to their destination. “May I ask you something?” He found himself asking. He did not anticipate the immediate response that he got, but it emerged all the same.

“Of course you may.”

“Well, before I ask, I would really appreciate it if you would be completely honest with me,” Michael said. “Don’t try to spare my feelings.”

Heinrich nodded. “I will answer any questions you have, Sir.”

“Why do you put your duty ahead of everything else?” Michael asked directly. His voice, although controlled was laced in what could only be described as melancholy.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Heinrich responded.

“I think you do,” Michael said. “As we’ve been driving here, I was thinking about why I asked you and Madeline to come along in the first place.”

“You said that you were worried about her being left alone,” Heinrich began. “I realized that when you made the suggestion, it was imperative for me to come along and offer my assistance. Of course, you realized straightaway that during her holidays, she is my responsibility.”

“Yes, that is all true,” the noble said with a nod of his head. “She’s a very extraordinary little girl, and she comes from a very special family.”

“I beg to differ, Sir, my family is not all that special,” Heinrich began. “As you know, Madeline and I both hail from rather humble backgrounds.”

“I didn’t mean that, Heinrich, and you know it,” Michael said sadly. “I’ve known about your background for about as long as I’ve known you, and I’ll tell you this; it doesn’t matter to me in the slightest. The honest reason why I asked you to come with us is because I was hoping that if we could get away from the manor for a time, then we could talk about the friendship we once shared. Yes, the welfare of your granddaughter was in my mind, but I think deep down inside, we both knew that that was not the only rationale.”

“I understand,” the butler responded.

“I don’t think you do,” the baron said sadly. “I can’t simply forget that you and I were once friends. Back then, it was never about your status; it was merely about the good times we shared when you came to the manor. I know I was just a boy back then, but it was special.” He paused. “Don’t you remember when you would go into the chicken coop and chase the chickens out while I snuck in and swiped their eggs?”

“I remember it very well, Sir,” Heinrich said. “It was right after I started working for your family. Did you know that your father came to me and asked me to keep you company? He said you were lonely and needed a friend.”

“I was, and I know that his intentions were good, but it still hurts to know that our friendship was based on the conditions set by my father,” the baron mused. “After I found out what he had done, I was quite unhappy. I figured that you were pretending with me and that my company was nothing more than a task that was paid for.” He offered a weak smile as the memories washed over him. “Later, I realized that at the time all that really mattered to you was being helpful and doing your employer a favor.”

“Sir, that wasn’t the case at all,” Heinrich protested. “I found you pleasant enough company.” He momentarily turned his head and looked at Michael before focusing his attention back on the road. “The truth is, something happened and things changed for me. I never felt comfortable about discussing it, so I decided to keep it to myself.”

“What was that?”

“It was something that happened during my last evaluation,” Heinrich confessed.

“You mean when that stuffed shirt came to the manor and wanted to watch you like a hawk?” Michael asked.

“You knew about that?” He asked.

“Yes, it was pretty obvious,” Michael said with a nod. “You were suddenly showing up punctually at mealtimes, your stance was erect like a soldier, and your eyes were constantly on the floor. During that time, anything that resembled fun suddenly ceased to exist and you became like a stranger to me. When I saw you doing that the first time, I suddenly felt as though the temperature in the house had gone down a good ten degrees. The strangest thing about the whole thing was that I never once spoke to my parents about it. I merely accepted it for what it was.”

“I’m terribly sorry, M’lord,” Heinrich whispered. “I truly had no idea.”

“What did that guy do that made you change?” Michael asked.

“He told me that I was getting too friendly with you and your parents and that if I knew what was good for me, I’d remember what my place in the household was. Even after he had left, I felt as though I was walking on eggshells. I suppose I spent a good deal of time trying to remember everything from my training. If I distanced myself from you, then no one would complain that I was being too friendly with those whom I was employed by.”

“That idea sounds rather like something Ian might have come up with,” Michael mused. “He never accepted my wanting to remain friends. He was forever putting it down. Humbert didn’t, perhaps because he was the sort of person who never met a stranger. He could take tea with Eleanor on one day and meet the Duke of Albany the next for a friendly game of cricket. If Humbert had not disappeared, then I wonder if things between us might actually have been different.”

“Perhaps they would have been,” Heinrich conceded. “The actions of one person can often make the biggest difference in the lives of others. As you probably know, Ian was rather like that man who came and evaluated me when I was young. There has always been that sort of feeling that I am only a servant. It is my task to do the bidding of your family without question or hesitation. As a young man, I feared that our friendship might have been construed by others as rationale for my termination.”

“My family would never have fired you,” Michael said earnestly.

“I know that you wouldn’t, but your younger son would,” Heinrich responded. “Many of us in the household have heard him utter such things in the corridors. One time he told me that when he acquires the title, that he will get rid of us all and hire a staff that ‘knows its proper place’.”

“I see,” Michael mused. After several moments of silence had passed, his next question emerged. “Heinrich, were things really that difficult for you?”

The butler offered a slight nod, his eyes still locked on the road. “I wanted to tell you everything that my evaluator had said, but by the time I was ready to speak with you in length about it, Humbert had vanished and the opportunity never presented itself to me. You see, Sir, I truly did value your friendship and if I had not been so stringent about rules and regulations, then I know we could have been the grandest of friends.”

“We still can,” Michael said as he cast a glance to the backseat and saw that the little girl had inched closer to his wife and was now resting in her arms. He smiled slightly as he returned his attention to the man behind the wheel. “I haven’t forgotten, Heinrich, I don’t think I ever will. Why else do you think I have so often insisted that you call me ‘Michael’? I did not want you to forget how things had been back when we were younger.”

“I truly wanted to do so,” Heinrich offered. “Then after you had inherited the title, I felt quite uncertain as to whether or not it would have been acceptable. Perhaps it was wrong of me, but a nobleman does not usually stop off for a beer with the hired help. That was how I perceived everything, and I must apologize for that.”

“Let’s break tradition then; from now on, I wish for you to call me ‘Michael’. I don’t care if we are at the manor or not. I want you to know that I will no longer respond to you if you call me ‘Sir’, ‘M’lord’, or any other stuffy title or name.”

Heinrich looked at him. “You’re serious?”

“Indeed I am,” Michael smiled. “Let’s face it; I have always known that you are a friend. The fact that you have agreed to come with Rose and me is all the proof I need. It’s rather like I tried to say in the kitchen a few days ago, you are more than just a butler, Heinrich, you are a friend. I value that far more than dinner settings, tea parties, or arranging socks, and believe me when I say that even as a lad, I was fully aware of that.”

“Michael, I truly don’t know what to say,” Heinrich began.

“I do,” the baron beamed. “Thank you for finally calling me by my name.”

~~~~~

Back at the manor, Steven was sitting in his bedroom staring at the wall. He had been trying to figure out what to do for the past several hours and was still at a loss. He knew that his options were improbable bordering on impossible, but was willing to try. He was determined to find Toto or at the very least, begin his search for the place called the Refuge. He had absolutely no way of knowing where to start or even if the crow intended on returning to the manor.

Taking a deep breath he picked up his rucksack and began packing several items in it that he figured he would need. Asking Eleanor to assist him would have reaped nothing since he knew that she would have tried to stop him. This left him with the dubious task of rummaging through his closets and drawers on his own.

As he zipped up the small bag, he raised his head to see that a crow had, in fact, landed on his windowsill. He walked over to it and pulled the window open. The moment he did this, he spoke, his words hurried. “Toto, is that you?”

When the bird offered a non-verbal half nod, he stumbled slightly, but still managed to stay on his feet. Upon closer observation, he noticed that the bird did not carry the gold trinket in its beak. This left him to wonder if he had been mistaken in this assertion. Before the bird could completely come into the room, Steven started towards the window in order to close it.

What happened next took him completely by surprise. On the bird’s back was a sleek gray colored cat. “Minka?”

The cat raised its head and shook it slowly.

It was at that moment that the boy noticed that he had made a mistake; this cat was not the housekeeper’s pet. In fact, given its poise and manner; it looked far too dignified to even be a housecat. The cat’s eyes were mismatched; one blue and one red and around its neck was a simple golden collar. Next to the cat was a small matching gray colored satchel.

Before he could continue his observations, a gust of wind blew against him and a strange and unfamiliar voice suddenly filled his ears. “Steven von Gikkingen?”

Fearfully, the boy looked around as though anticipating a stranger in his room. Discovering that it was empty, he turned back around and regarded the cat. “Did you just say something?”

“That I did,” the cat said, his voice, a friendly, but stern sounding tenor.

“I don’t get it,” he stammered. “How is it that I can understand you? I’ve never been able to speak to cats before.”

“You’ve never needed to,” the cat responded. “My name is Lune and you have nothing to fear. I’m a friend.”

“Okay,” the boy mused. “I guess I could use a friend right about now.”

“I know,” Lune responded. “That’s one of the reasons that Toto and I are here. The other is more or less an official one.”

“Does this have anything to do with where my uncle is?”

Toto’s eyes widened, and he looked at the cat. “You know, Lune, I figured that he’d ask about his father’s whereabouts first.”

Lune nodded and conveyed Toto’s words to the, still surprised, human.

Steven took a deep breath and lowered his head. “Why should I care about my father? I mean; everybody knows that I’ve made way too many mistakes with him. If Uncle Humbert is as nice as everyone keeps saying, then I’m more interested in finding him.”

Lune nodded as he jumped off of Toto’s back and landed on the windowsill. “We know all too well about the mistakes regarding your father. We come bearing news.”

“What news?” Steven asked as Lune dug inside the satchel and pulled out the golden trinket and extended it to the boy.

Once he had accepted it, Toto spoke. “Perhaps you ought to sit down first.”

“Just tell me,” the boy said.

“The news we have will no doubt be difficult for you to understand,” Lune began. “There is no easy way to tell you this, but given the present circumstances, your father may not be coming back.”

“Why wouldn’t he?” Steven asked.

Lune took a deep breath. “It is all rather complicated, but your father has been trying to gain access to the very same magic that he used to spell his brother five years ago. Through that, he stands a rather good chance of being put under a similar spell.”

Wordlessly, the boy seated himself onto his bed, his gaze lowering.

“When was the last time you spoke to your father?” The monarch asked after several minutes of silence had passed.

“Just before he left,” Steven responded. “He said that he was going to the Cat Kingdom, but I don’t even know if the Cat Kingdom even exists. Does it?”

“Yes, it does,” Toto said with a grand wave of one of his black colored wings. “Lune is the Cat King.”

“Then it was you,” Steven began to speak as he raised his head and regarded Lune with unsuppressed anger. “You’re the one who spelled my uncle.”

“No, it was not me; it was my father,” Lune said as he raised a paw in negation. “I took the throne less than a year ago your time and as you know, this was several years after your uncle had disappeared.”

“Do you know my uncle?”

“Yes, I do. He’s a very brave and noble friend,” Lune said.

“I figured that he was, since everyone here loves him so much.”

“Indeed,” Lune said as he took a deep breath and looked at the youth. “Steven, I know that your father may have spoken of what came about five years ago, but what you received was a rather skewed account of those events.” He paused. “The Cat Kingdom has done your family a very grave disservice, but with that said, I must affirm that it would never have come about had your father not been in contact with mine. You see, because my father was king at the time, no one bothered to question his dealings with the human world.”

“So you’re left doing damage control,” Steven mused.

“Yes,” Lune nodded. “Five seasons ago, my father offered your father Cat Kingdom magic by means of spices that were dominant in special blends of tea. For a cat, these blends were safe, but for a human, it had lasting repercussions.”

“So it was the tea that caused my uncle to…change?”

“Yes, and part of the reason Toto and I have journeyed here is to ascertain whether or not any remaining magic is present here.”

“You mean there may still be some here?” Steven asked.

“That remains to be seen,” Lune responded. “We have a very old saying that dates back several hundred years, and that is ‘all that comes from the source, must be returned to the source’. It is the only way that we can make right the wrongs have been done. It is for that reason that we are here now; to make certain that all Cat Kingdom magic is returned.”

Steven lowered his head and closed his eyes. “If it’s the tea…then yes, it is here, but it’s upstairs in my uncle’s room.”

“I don’t follow,” Lune responded.

“After my uncle disappeared, my grandfather asked Eleanor to dry out the leaves in the bottom of the teapot and preserve them in his room. We were in there earlier and that was when I saw them.”

“Then we must retrieve them straightaway,” Lune said firmly.

“Okay, I’ll get it for you on one condition,” the boy responded in kind.

“What might that be?” The Cat King asked.

“I want you to take me to the Refuge,” Steven said. “I want to see my uncle again.”

“You realize that you may not be able to get back once you get there,” Toto said.

“I don’t care,” the boy said vehemently. “If you want those tealeaves, then that’s the deal. Take it or leave it.”

Toto looked at Lune, and when the regal cat offered a half nod, he took a deep breath. “Alright, you win; I’ll take you to the Refuge, but at your own risk.”

“Fine,” the boy nodded. “I’ll go get them, but before I go anywhere, there is something I have to do.”

“What’s that?” Toto asked.

“It’s nothing major, I have to send an email and some pictures to this girl in Japan,” Steven said. “She’s been helping my grandfather search for Uncle Humbert and I think she may have found him. Once I do that, then I’ll be ready to go.”

Before Lune or Toto could so much as offer a response, the boy had already left the room.


	24. Connecting the Dots

**Chapter 24: Connecting the Dots**

At the same time the von Gikkingen family and their friends were arriving in London, Muta was dozing comfortably on the cobblestones in front of the Cat Bureau. Aberdeen and Minka had yet to awaken and emerge from their perspective rooms and this left the obese feline to his own devices. Basically, that meant sleeping off the smorgasbord from the night before.

Aside from that, he figured that the two visiting cats were pretty much exhausted by the adventures of the day before and a late snooze had been just what the doctor ordered.

Lune had arrived very early that morning and left with Toto on a mission. This left the courtyard uncharacteristically peaceful and quiet.

As Muta’s eyes slowly opened, he stretched himself out and yawned. As he did, the door to the Cat Bureau suddenly opened and Aberdeen emerged. “Good morning,” the large gray cat offered.

“Hey,” Muta responded as he straightened out. “How’d you sleep?”

“Very well, nearly forgot where I was,” Aberdeen said smirking. “I must say, this place is a lot different than what I’m accustomed to.”

“Why?” Muta asked. “Where do you usually sleep?”

“Inside a barn,” Aberdeen responded nonchalantly. “It’s as close to being out of doors that I can get without getting drenched by England’s rather frequent rain showers. Of course, in comparison, this place is a regular lap of luxury.”

Muta nodded. “I can imagine.” He began to look around, his gaze eventually coming to rest on the double doors leading into the green and white colored building. “So, where’s the kitten?”

“Still asleep,” Aberdeen said with a casual wave back towards the door he had just emerged from. “Yesterday was quite a day for her.”

“I can imagine,” Muta said. “Between you and me; I hope she gets up soon. I’m supposed to make sure you guys get breakfast and right now I’m starving. You know, usually Baron does that kind of hospitality stuff, but since he and Chicken Wings aren’t here, I’ve sort of been volunteered to babysit.”

Aberdeen glanced over towards the perch that Toto usually sat on. Seeing that it was vacated, he looked at Muta. “Where’d he go?”

“Lune showed up at about five hours ago and the two of them left together,” Muta said. “They were acting all secretive about something and I figured that it was better to not even ask. I fell asleep after they left and woke up just before you came outside. What time is it anyway?”

The visiting cat glanced skyward and after several moments offered a response. “According to the sun, it looks to be half past ten.”

“You can tell what time it is by looking at the sky?” Muta asked.

“Only if the sun’s out,” Aberdeen responded. “It’s no great talent, though. Most cats that grew up on a farm can do it, although I must admit all talents do have their limits. If the sun is not visible, then I’m clueless.”

“Impressive,” Muta said.

“Yes, well, I could read the sun by the time I had turned eight weeks old,” Aberdeen responded. “Besides, where I come from, cats usually don’t wander about wearing wrist watches.”

Muta began to laugh. “True enough.”

Moments passed and the door to the small A-frame house opened and Minka came out. Instead of walking on her back legs, she was casually walking on all fours. _Perhaps she is not yet accustomed to being at the Refuge,_ Muta thought.

“Hey Minka,” Aberdeen called out as she approached them. “How’d ya sleep?”

“Like a kitten,” she purred. “The bed was so comfortable.”

“I can imagine,” Muta said. “I thought you’d sleep till noon.”

Minka sat down on the cobblestones, but shook her head. “I woke up about half an hour ago, but wasn’t sure about coming down,” she began as she looked over at Muta. “You looked rather comfortable all stretched out on the ground and I didn’t want to disturb you.”

Muta nodded all the while grateful for her overt consideration. “You game for some breakfast, Kitten?”

“My name is Minka, not ‘Kitten’,” she began somewhat indignantly. “And yes; breakfast sounds very good.”

“Aw, don’t mind me, I have nicknames for everyone. Just because I call you ‘Kitten’ doesn’t mean I think you’re one,” Muta objected. “So, where should we go to have breakfast?”

Before Aberdeen or Minka could so much as offer a response, a portal into the Refuge suddenly opened. The three of them turned around to see that that they had been joined by another cat, a bird, and a human.

Upon recognizing the human, Minka gasped before staggering back towards the Bureau’s front doors. At that instance, fear replaced the notion of sitting down and having breakfast.

Just before she had reached the door, she stopped as the boy whispered her name. “Minka?”

Despite the fear that was cursing through her, she raised her head and regarded Steven von Gikkingen. “What are you doing here?” She hissed, her fur starting to stand on end. When no words emerged from the boy, her eyes narrowed dangerously and claws abruptly protruded from her otherwise soft paws. It was clear that she no longer cared about hearing his rationale; instead she looked to be ready to pounce and scratch the living daylights out of him.

Steven self consciously backed quickly away before raising his hands in negation. “You can really talk?” He asked; the surprise evident in his words.

Minka lowered her front paws. “Of course I can, you just never listened.”

“He couldn’t understand you then, Minka,” Lune interjected. “He can only understand when he is exposed to certain forms of magic.”

“I don’t understand,” she responded.

“It’s rather simple,” Lune said casually. “Any human who appears at the Refuge can understand cats. That’s part of the magic that belongs to this place.”

“Okay, but that doesn’t really explain why he’s here,” Minka protested. “H-his father is the one who is trying to murder Humbert von Gikkingen.”

Murder?” Muta asked as he cast a skeptical glance towards Toto, who remained silent. “Am I missing something here? He’s just a kid, why blame him?”

Lune approached and touched one of Minka’s outstretched paws. “I think we should sit down and start from the beginning.” It was clear that the monarch had dealt with more than his share of conflict and was now determined to keep the peace.

“Perhaps we should, but the explanations had better be fast and they better be good,” Aberdeen mused. “I don’t think Minka is of the mindset to speak calmly or rationally about any of this. Besides, given her history with this boy, I can completely understand her sentiments.” Aberdeen approached the smaller cat and wrapped a gentle paw around her. “Don’t you worry sweetheart, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” As if to emphasize this point, he regarded the human boy with traces of mistrust.

Lune sat down on the ground and soon everyone had joined him. “Minka, I know that you overheard Steven and his father discussing what happened to Humbert von Gikkingen.”

She nodded. “Yes, I overheard everything.”

“That means you were the one who got my grandparents to go to Japan,” Steven mused. “But, I didn’t even know that they could talk to cats. I thought my dad was the only one in the house who could do that.”

“I didn’t tell them, I only shared the information with another person who could,” she said. “They went and did the rest.”

“You mean, the person you won’t mention by name is Madeline?” Steven asked.

Minka lowered her head and but after several seconds had passed, she nodded. “You’d better not harm her.”

“I won’t tell anyone, but if my father knew about this then he’d have a fit,” Steven mused.

“Perhaps, but right now he is not in the position to have a fit about anything,” Lune responded. “Not when his own future is at stake.”

“What do you mean?” Aberdeen asked.

“One thing at a time,” Lune responded. “First, I must clarify why it is Steven is here and then I can tell you everything that I have found out since leaving you all last night.” He paused before looking at Minka. “Please do retract your claws while I try to explain.”

The smaller cat did, but waited for Lune to continue speaking.

Instead of the feline monarch doing so, the next words emerged from Steven. “You don’t have to explain anything. It would probably be easier if I tell you what I know.”

Lune nodded but waited for the boy to continue.

“I asked Lune and Toto to bring me here because I figured that it was the only way I would get to see my uncle,” Steven began. He pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and showed the crow and cats the bruises that lined his arms. “I don’t expect any of you to pity me, but you are not the only ones who have been hurt by my father.”

“He did that to you?” Minka asked.

“Yeah,” Steven responded as he shoved the sleeve back down over the injuries before looking at the group. “Right after my grandparents left for London, my father left for the Cat Kingdom. I didn’t even know that such a place existed until Toto showed up at my house and told me that it did.”

“So Birdbrain, that’s where you went,” Muta said.

The black crow wordlessly nodded as Steven continued.

“After Toto left, I started thinking about my Uncle Humbert and wondered if he would have been nicer to me than my father had been. The thing is; my father has always known that as long as my uncle was around, that he would never have been named the next Baron von Gikkingen. That’s why he to cut a deal with Lune’s father. I didn’t know about any of this until a few days ago when my father told me a bunch of stuff about it. During that conversation, he told me that he had promised to replenish the lake with all the fish that Renaldo Moon had eaten in exchange for some magic to do away with my uncle.”

“That’s exactly what I overheard,” Minka said with a nod.

Steven nodded. “Yeah, and then he said that my uncle had been turned into a cat figurine.” He looked at the buildings that were along the perimeters of the courtyard. “Seeing this strange place proves that maybe what my father said about my uncle had all been true.”

“How do you figure?” Aberdeen asked.

“It’s this courtyard, I’ve seen it before,” Steven said. “Yesterday, Eleanor and I were in my uncle’s room searching for a picture. I needed one to send to this girl my grandfather had been sending messages to. Anyway, she wrote a message after everyone had left asking for a recent picture of my uncle. Instead of sending just that, I sent her a picture of some buildings that looked just like these. I also sent a family portrait, a birthday card, and a drawing of my mother and me. I don’t know why I did that, but I guess I figured that it might help somehow.”

Minka looked at the boy, her expression softening. “You’re not just saying that, are you?”

“No,” Steven whispered. “Look, I know I did a lot of bad stuff to you and Madeline, and I know I was wrong, but this time I’m telling the truth. You may not believe me, but I want to find him, and I realize that we can’t work together until you…f-forgive me.”

The small cat offered a hesitant nod before looking at Lune. “Maybe you should explain further,” she offered.

“Of course,” the monarch said with an affirming nod. “I am not sure if you were aware of this, but there were traces of Cat Kingdom magic at your home, and in order to obtain the last of it, Steven requested that we bring him here with us. That’s why we agreed to have him come.”

She nodded, but her eyes remained on the boy who was seated next to the Cat King. “Why did you want to come, Steven? Weren’t you aware that once here, you will probably not be able to get back the same way you came?”

Before Steven could speak, Toto broke his silence. “He knows all of that, but he told us that he wouldn’t retrieve the lost magic for us unless we agreed to bring him along. It’s very clear that Steven has had a change of heart. Now, all he wants is to see his uncle as he was before the spell.”

Minka turned and regarded the boy. “You do?”

Steven nodded. “My father is gone, Minka. That’s what Lune and Toto said back at the house. They said that there stands a chance that I won’t see him again and that he may find himself under a similar spell. That means; now I’ve lost both my parents and…and I-I’m all alone.” As he spoke the tears began to stream down his cheeks.

“I don’t understand, if your father beat you, then why would you want to go back to him?” Minka asked.

“It’s a connection,” Aberdeen said as he looked at Steven. “Sometimes a person would rather have a parent that hurts them than to be alone and have to admit it. Most people don’t realize this, but isolation is the worst kind of punishment that exists in life. It somehow has a way of convincing them that they are all alone in the world and that there exists no one who could possibly understand how they feel.”

Steven nodded sadly as the tears continued to wash down over his face. Wiping them away, he looked at Lune. “Can you help us?” He whispered.

“I don’t know,” Lune said honestly. “There are things that we cannot or should not do; one of which is to impose on the human world. I believe that you have already done more for your uncle than you presently realize.”

“He did?” Muta asked. “What?”

“He wrote a message to Haru,” Toto said as he looked at the group assembled.

“You know Chicky?” Muta asked.

“Y-you mean you all know the girl that my grandfather wrote to?” Steven asked. 

“Yes, we do,” Lune nodded. “She’s friends with your uncle.”

“But, my father said that my uncle was a figurine,” Steven objected. “How could she be friends with an inanimate object?”

Toto looked at Steven. “It can happen. A Creation is an object with a soul, but more importantly, you too have a friend who is a Creation.”

“I do?”

Toto nodded as he motioned with one wing over his body. “I am a Creation, and you must know that what the others have said is the truth. Haru Yoshioka is a friend of ours, and right now, she is the one who is protecting Baron from your father.”

Then there really is nothing I can do,” the boy whispered. “My coming here was a mistake and a waste of time.”

“No, kid, it wasn’t,” Muta said.

Lune nodded. “Muta’s right. You came here thinking and believing that you did not have a friend in the world, but now you are discovering that you were wrong. You do have friends; in fact, you have at least five.”

“At least?” Steven whispered.

“Yes, you have all of us,” Toto explained. “More importantly, through your selfless actions, you may very well discover that you also have an uncle and…”

“…An Aunt,” Muta interrupted with a loud snicker.

Instead of questioning the fat cat’s words, Steven merely offered an insecure nod.


	25. Remembering Me

**Chapter 25: Remembering Me**

Several uneventful hours after sending the email back to the von Gikkingen manor, dusk had fallen on Tokyo and Haru began trying to stifle yawns. Both she and Baron spent much of the afternoon going through the letters. The two friends had completely forgotten about food and neither of them brought up the subject of being hungry. In fact; they were more determined than ever at uncovering the key to Baron’s past.

As Haru felt her legs beginning to cramp, she lowered the letter that she had been reading and began move her limbs about as though bringing new life back into them. Inching her way over to the throw pillow that Baron had been using for a bed, she allowed herself to stretch out, her head coming to rest against the corner of the pillow. Moments later, her eyes slowly closed and she drifted off to sleep.

Baron finished reading one of the letters and shoved the page aside. Each piece of paper that he had read had been taller and wider than he was. As if to emphasize that point, he could feel the stiffness in his arms from the hours of holding up the large pages. This affirmed to him why reading each letter had been an unbelievably slow process. It was clear that he was disappointed in the fact that the only memories that his mind conjured were the ones about a strange wardrobe.

Shifting his attention, he glanced over to see that Haru was now fast asleep.

_It’s no wonder she’s so exhausted,_ he thought. _She has done everything she can to help me to remember._

Instead of reaching for another letter, Baron’s ears twitched slightly as he got to his feet and walked over to her. Climbing up onto the pillow, he touched several strands of hair that were draped over where she now rested. _If only I could move her to a more comfortable location,_ he thought. _As it stands, the only one who could be moved around is me._

He rested a gloved hand against her face. “You are such a determined and wonderful person, Haru,” he whispered.

“So are you,” she responded in kind as she allowed her eyes to slowly open.

“Did I wake you?” He asked.

“No, I was sort of catnapping,” she said softly as she rubbed her eyes with both hands. “Seems appropriate, doesn’t it?”

“Perhaps,” he said softly as he watched her sit up.

Once she was seated comfortably, she looked over at him before whispering his name. “Baron?”

“What is it, Love?” He responded.

“I was sort of wondering something.”

“What’s that?”

“After you recall who you are, does that mean that you will still be able to remember me?”

“Of course I will,” he said firmly. “No matter what may happen, Haru, there is no way that I will ever forget you.”

“You forgetting all about me is what I’m most afraid of,” she confessed. “After we talked earlier, I started having this unshakable feeling that you will decide to go back to your life in England and I’ll be nothing more than a…a distant memory.”

Baron looked at her. “Haru, such a thing will not ever happen. How could I leave you? After all, you are the one person who helped me to believe that I am the man who wrote these letters.”

“But, how can such a dream come true if you can’t even remember writing them?” She asked softly as tears caught in her eyes.

“I’m not giving up; and neither should you,” he began. “After all, it was you who inspired me to try and remember who I am and from where I come. There is nothing more special and loving than that. For me to deny that or forget you is unspeakable.”

Haru took a deep breath as she felt his light touch against her face. Without saying a word, she covered his tiny hand with her own and allowed the tears to escape from beneath her eyelids. A moment passed as Baron raised his head and looked at her.

“I did not intend to make you cry, my dearest,” he said as he felt the moisture from her tears against his gloved hands.

The young woman nodded. Instead of speaking of what had just transpired between them; her next words emerged laced in awkwardness. “Maybe I should check and see if I’ve heard anything back from Michael. I probably haven’t, since he said that they were on their way here.”

“When is he supposed to arrive?” Baron asked.

“He said that he, his wife, and friends were supposed to be here on Tuesday,” she said. “I offered to pick them up at the airport. Other than that there really isn’t anything else that I can think of that might help. I was hoping that if he hadn’t left yet, maybe he would be able find the time to answer the note I sent this morning.”

Baron nodded, but watched as she got to her feet and went over to the computer to check the messages.

As soon as she opened her email, she noticed that not only was there a response, but several attachments were waiting in her mailbox as well. She hoped against hope that the requested photograph was among them.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the message and began to read.  
~~~~~  
 **Hello,**

**I’m answering your message because my grandfather, Baron Michael von Gikkingen, isn’t able to. He and my grandmother have already left. I know that he would have wanted me to respond as well as send you the requested picture. With the help of our housekeeper, we managed to find one. I hope it will help you to find my Uncle Humbert.**

**I heard that my uncle may be in Tokyo right now, which is why I am sending the other pictures as well. My father told me several days ago that that was where he was sent. I hope that these will help you to find him.**

**Thank you,  
Steven von Gikkingen**  
~~~~~  
Haru took a deep breath as she turned away from the desk and looked over at him. “Baron, maybe you should take a look at this.”

Nodding, Baron approached and waited for her to lift him up off the ground and put him on the desk. Once he was standing in front of the monitor, he began to read the message.

Finishing the note, he turned around and looked at her. “Steven von Gikkingen,” he mused. “That name sounds vaguely familiar.”

“He’s mentioned in several of the letters,” Haru offered.

“No, it’s not just that,” Baron objected as he hopped down from off the desk and landed on his feet. “Perhaps it sounds strange, but I feel emotions that are rather like sadness and regret.”

“Why is that?”

“I don’t know,” he said as he shook his head. “What I do know is that there is something in that message that indicates how Steven may be crying out for help.” He paused for several moments before his next question emerged. “Could he have been the boy in the wardrobe?”

“I don’t think so,” Haru said honestly. “I think that was you.”

“Me?” He asked.

“I can’t explain why, it’s just this feeling I have,” she said.

Baron nodded as the two friends drifted into companionable silence. Instead of allowing it to swallow her up, Haru leaned over, reached for the mouse, marked the attachments, and began to print them out.

Moments passed and they listened as the printer hummed to life.

Once the pages had been printed, Haru reached into the tray and retrieved the copies. With several sheets of paper now in her hands, she stared at them before looking over at him. “If you were able to remember something from all these letters, then maybe what Steven sent along with this message might help as well.”

“Perhaps a good idea,” he said as he went over to the throw pillow and sat down on it. He then raised his head and watched as she lowered her body onto the carpeted floor and seated herself beside him.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she fiddled with the page that was on top. Instead of speaking, she extended it to Baron and waited for him to accept it. Once he had done so, she closed her eyes and waited. In her mind, her thoughts were racing a mile a minute. 

The photograph she had given him was of a very handsome man with stunning green eyes, a calming smile, and tawny colored hair that hung down over his brow. His face was smooth with not a blemish to be seen. The clothes he wore looked eccentric; but somehow carried the same familiarity that she had seen the first time they had met. To Haru, the photograph confirmed everything that she had suspected. Baron and Humbert von Gikkingen were one and the same. There was no argument whatsoever that could have proven otherwise.

As Baron looked at the picture, his eyes closed momentarily as a flood of memories washed over him. This time, the recollections were a collage of memories ranging from dinner parties, to walks along the seaside. As many familiar images began to dance around in his mind; he closed his eyes. The recollections no longer embodied simple things like wardrobes and cups of tea; instead they consisted of stories and fragments of a life that had long since been forgotten.

“Baron,” she whispered.

He raised his head and looked at her, his expression shifting somewhat as he shook his head. “My name is Humbert,” he whispered as he ran a gloved hand over the photograph. Seconds later, he raised his head and looked at Haru. Meshed in his slanted green eyes was an emotion that she never thought she would ever see in him – fear.

“D-do y-you remember something?” She stammered.

“My name is Humbert…” he whispered as the photograph drifted from his fingers and fell onto the floor. “…I am…” His voice trailed off as he rested a gloved hand against his forehead.

“Maybe I should give you something else,” she whispered, her voice now emerging in a rush. She did not know why, but something inside of her was telling her that it was imperative that she keep pushing him in the direction that he was going. “Here, take this one.”

She handed him the second page. This was a photograph of the Refuge, but instead of being in the familiar courtyard, it was an image that had been copied out of Humbert’s old bedroom.

Accepting the picture, Baron took a deep breath as he looked down at it. After several moments, he raised his head and looked at her. “That’s home,” he whispered.

“The Refuge?” She asked.

“No, Haru, it’s…home. At least, what I can recall in my mind,” he began. “The picture seems so different somehow, but yet it’s familiar. I don’t really understand why it looks like the buildings that surround the courtyard at the Refuge, though.”

“Maybe because the Refuge was created from an unconscious memory you had about it,” she began. Taking a deep breath, she continued. “At least that’s sort of what Muta told me. He said that it was a place of magic and that you had created it. He went on to tell me that before you came, the place looked really different. Maybe you’ve known all along where the idea came from, it was simply not so easy to connect the dots.”

“Everything is still rather hazy to me,” he confessed.

Haru nodded. “I know, just try to remember what you can, even if it makes no sense. That’s all you can do.”

“I know, and believe me, I am trying. If only this was not so difficult. My mind feels like a jigsaw puzzle. I am seeing so many images in my head; a drawing room, a study…” He motioned towards the picture he now held. “…and this place.” He continued to stare at the page, but before he could continue speaking, she pressed a third piece of paper into his hand.

On it was a penciled drawing of a woman and child. _Who were they?_ Haru wondered.

Baron stared at the drawing for several moments before raising his head. “What is this?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” she responded. “I was sort of hoping that you might know since it was on one of the attachments that Steven sent to me. I don’t understand why he sent it, though.”

Baron thought for several moments as the unfamiliar artwork suddenly became familiar. “Maybe he sent it because – I drew it,” he whispered. “What I would like to know is how he knew to send all these things. It’s all a bit odd. Did he even know that I was here?”

“I think he did. I mean that’s what the message said,” Haru responded. “I just printed them and am showing you what he sent. There are two more pages here, one looks like a greeting card the other is a photograph.”

“Let me see the photograph,” he said and waited for Haru to hand him another printout. On the page was what looked to be a portrait of a family of five. The first person on it was one he immediately recognized; it was the individual from the first printout. He ran his gloved hand over the piece of paper and sighed.

“Who are they?” Haru eventually asked. “Do you know?”

Baron looked at the faces of the people in the picture for several moments before closing his eyes. After several moments, he released the hold he had on the piece of paper as he shook his head. “It…can’t be.”

“What is it, Ba…I mean; Humbert?”

“It’s my...” his voice trailed off. He swallowed as his last word emerged. “…Family.”

Without thinking of what she was doing, Haru leaned over and placed the last page on the floor in front of him.

On it was a scanned copy of the birthday card that Humbert had made for his father just prior to his disappearance. _If this doesn’t help him, then there is nothing I can do that will,_ she thought sadly as she watched his every movement.

After several moments had passed, she took in the way he began to read the text at the bottom of the page.

Moments later, a lump suddenly got caught in his throat. Without warning, another flood of memories washed over him. He was now remembering everything about his life; his father, whom he had painstakingly made the card for as well as his mother. His kind, loving, and selfless mother had no doubt endured emotional torture and unhappiness the day he had disappeared without a trace.

Taking a deep breath, he began to whisper under his breath. His gaze was now staring straight ahead as the lyrics to the song continued to wash over him and he softly began to sing.

_I’ll be your candle on the water,_  
My love for you will always burn  
I know you’re lost and drifting  
But the clouds are lifting  
Don’t give up you have somewhere to turn… 

Haru said not a word, instead she stared, her eyes filling with tears as she listened to him singing. As his words grew in intensity, the young woman closed her eyes as the volume of his song took on a dramatic crescendo.

Not knowing what to do, she merely listened until he had finished reciting the song’s moving lyrics.

As the room once again descended into silence, she raised her head with the intention of speaking. Before she could even ask him what was happening; the entire room was suddenly bathed in a warm, soothing light.

~~~~~

Far away and inside the confines of the Cat King’s Maze, Ian von Gikkingen was running through the passageways trying desperately to find his way out. Overhead the sky had grown a murky colored gray as though fading to black. Ignoring this, Ian continued to walk, his determination to get out of the maze overpowering. Of course, this did not stop the new sensations that suddenly overwhelmed him.

Standing on the terrace above him, Chorney watched and waited. Lune was due back to the castle pretty soon, and the advisor wondered if the monarch had any idea of what was about to happen. A casual glance skyward and he knew instinctively what was going on. Ian was about to discover that the curse on his brother had just been lifted.

As if by instinct alone, a brown and gray striped tail sprouted from the seat of his pants. Not fully realizing what was happening or why, Ian looked down at his hands and gasped when he realized that what he was looking at were not hands at all…they were paws.

Not knowing what to do or why this was even happening to him, the younger son of Michael and Rose von Gikkingen let out an earth-shattering wail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again no copyright infringement intended.


	26. Curse's End?

**Chapter 26: Curse’s End?**

As the light continued to fill the room, Haru blinked several times. Using her hand, she shielded her eyes as she tried to figure out what was happening and why. She was still sitting on the floor in her bedroom, but despite the fact that her logic was telling her that she was being silly; her hands had started to unconsciously tremble. Just as she had often heard in stories, the overwhelming brightness of the light had proven as frightening to her as pitch blackness.

Not knowing what else to do, she moved her hands until they covered not only her eyes, but much of her face. The light itself was beautiful, but at the same time, it felt rather strange, especially since dusk had already fallen on the large Japanese city.

Moments passed and slowly the light began to fade. This did nothing to appease the panic that was now engulfing the young woman. _Is this a dream?_ She asked herself as she reached out a trembling hand and tried to feel her way towards the door leading out of the room.

Silence engulfed her as she found herself crawling fearfully in the direction that she thought was the right one. Within seconds, she had rammed her head against the corner of the table, which was positioned on the opposite wall from the door. “Oww,” she moaned as a searing pain engulfed her. In response to this, she lightly touched her temple.

“It hurts,” she whispered all the while gauging whether or not she would now have a bump on her head. Still in pain, she reached the conclusion that there was very little that she could do about it. The ice was downstairs in the freezer and in this state; she could not get down there to retrieve some. At that moment, the young woman was still seeing stars.

A board suddenly creaked and her eyes clamped shut as she suddenly felt a pair of gloved hands touching her face before moving up towards the injury. Upon feeling this, she unconsciously cringed as her frightened words emerged. “W-who’s there?”

“Open your eyes, Haru.” A soft, yet familiar sounding voice emerged, while at the same time, the touch left her injury and moved to her own hands. Brusquely, she could feel herself being pulled up off the floor. Once she was on her feet, she could feel herself being led over to the bed and made to sit down. Once she felt the soft covers beneath her weight, the voice continued. “Do you still feel dizzy?”

Taking note of the familiar cadence, she licked her lips and nodded. “Yes, but I-I’m okay.” This soft utterance seemed to pacify him, but he still maintained contact with her by moving his hand until it was gently stroking her cheek. This gentle touch somehow started to lull her into a trance. These gestures were definitely reminiscent of the figurine that she had remembered even though the emotions she now carried were a mixture of fear, wonder, and uncertainty.

“B-Baron?” She whispered.

“I’m right here, Love, don’t worry.” His next words filled her ears, but despite the gentle response; goose-bumps began to dance up and down her arms. After several moments had passed, she found the courage to raise her head.

As she did, she opened her eyes and her gaze locked on a pair of intense green colored eyes. The familiar slant to them was now gone, as were the whiskers and fur. It was, in fact, the very same individual that she had seen in the photograph that Steven had sent her only moments before. “T-this can’t be happening.”

“Is it not what you wanted?” He asked, his hand still stroking her face. “Did you truly wish for me to remember who I am and where I came from?”

“I did, but…” her voice trailed.

“…You’re still afraid.”

Although compelled to nod, she shook her head and was surprised when a soft chuckle emerged from the depths of his throat in response to this overt untruth.

Humbert von Gikkingen released the hold he had on her and watched as her arms lackadaisically fell to each side. Instead of getting up and walking away from her, the young man reached over and rested one hand lightly on her shoulder. “It’s alright, I understand.”

_This is all real,_ she thought as she nervously raised one of her hands and laid it atop his. It was at that moment that she began to take in his physical attributes.

The most overt difference was the fact that he was now a few centimeters taller than she was. Haru allowed her gaze to drift from his ears to his nose, and down to his chin. As she took in all of these aspects of him, she realized that she had to constantly remind herself that he was her friend, and that she knew him.

Aside from her lies and his reassurances, she was scared. Perhaps she was more afraid of the fact that they were both in her bedroom as opposed to any other room in the house. This was compounded by her incessant questions as to what her feelings towards him really were. Now, instead of feeling as though she had accomplished something by helping him, Haru was left feeling defenseless and uncertain.

Moments passed as she felt him moving his hands yet again, this time as a means of drawing her into his embrace. His actions were slow and deliberate as though he knew exactly what she was feeling.

As if by instinct alone, she allowed her weight to lean up against him, her cheek resting against the softness of the blue vest he wore. _It feels so good to be held in such a loving way,_ she thought. From somewhere there came tears and she immediately realized that more than anything, she was relieved by this turn of events.

For some time, she remained wrapped securely in his embrace. “I still don’t understand; what happened?” She wept softly against him.

“Please don’t cry,” he whispered as he brushed a gentle hand against the dampness of her cheeks. She shivered slightly, but remained in his embrace; her hands now holding tightly to the fabric of his vest. “All that has happened is the curse has been lifted.”

She nodded, her face still meshed against his chest. “Does that m-mean this is all over?” Haru whispered. For whatever reason; she did not fully believe that it was, but instead of continuing to speak, she waited for him to respond.

“I’m afraid that it’s not over yet,” he said sadly. “There is still something of grave urgency that I must do.”

“W-what?”

“I have to confront my brother,” he said softly. “I don’t know why, but have to find out why he did this to me.”

“Does that mean, y-you’re leaving?” she whispered.

“Eventually I will leave this place, yes,” he responded. Seeing her downtrodden expression, he reached for her hand. When she surrendered it, he continued. “You must understand; I have lost five years of my life, Haru. My family needs me, I must return to them.”

“But, y-you promised that…” Her voice trailed off when she suddenly felt his fingers up against her lips, the pressure of his hand causing the flow of words to cease.

“…I know what I promised,” he said gently. “My honor lies in keeping my word, but I must eventually return home. I think you have known that from the start.”

“I have, but…” her voice trailed off as she lowered her head and stared at the carpeted floor. “…I will miss you.”

He smiled. “Does that mean that you are no longer afraid of my human form?”

“I’m not afraid anymore,” she whispered truthfully. “Baron, I-I don’t really know why I was scared the first place.”

He nodded as he cast a glance over towards the pile of letters and printouts that were still scattered across the floor.

Returning his attention to her, he spoke, his voice filled with gratitude as he changed the subject. “Dearest Haru, you do know that I would never have remembered any of this had it not been for you.”

“It wasn’t just me,” she whispered. “It was also Steven. He was the one who sent all the pictures.”

“Perhaps, but it was you who made the right inquiries.” He smiled gently at her.

She nodded slowly, but instead of speaking, unconscious tears began to once again slip from beneath her eyes. Haphazardly, she wiped them away. She was more than determined that he not see extent of her emotion.

As she lowered one of her hands, she suddenly felt him capturing it in his gentle hold. “Haru, will you come with me?”

Without contemplating the implications of the question, the young woman nodded.

~~~~~

Ian von Gikkingen was still standing in the maze as the darkness faded and he was left staring down at his body. He was now a cat, but was still clad in the clothing he had been wearing when he left the manor. His loud wails had long since ceased and he was now trying to use logic to resolve all of this.

 _How did this happen to me?_ He asked himself. _What did I do to deserve this?_

He raised his head to see that Chorney was descending the steps from the observation platform. The mystical black cat would explain to him what had happened. Of that he was absolutely certain.

Moments passed as the King’s advisor reached where he was standing. Before he could ask what was happening, the cat spoke. “The spell on your brother has been lifted. Humbert von Gikkingen has returned to his human form.”

“He can’t,” Ian snapped.

“But, alas, he did,” A second voice suddenly emerged and Ian raised his head to see that Lune had returned. “Your brother has found assistance through the help of a new friend.”

“A friend,” Ian spoke disdainfully, “what friend? He doesn’t have any friends, and even if he did, they all think he’s dead.”

The monarch’s expression hardened as his next words emerged. “When I spoke with your son earlier, I discovered the evidence of his overwhelming determination. Perhaps that is something that is manifest in your family. Steven has learned the lessons he needed to know.”

“And what lessons do you mean?”

“That without you, he can find the love and acceptance that he needs,” Lune said with a nod of his head. “That is all that I am at liberty to say at the moment, but given your current state, I can affirm to you that good will overcome evil.”

Ian looked at the feline ruler and shook his head. “I have no idea what you are getting at. But, I want out of this crazy maze and away from your insane kingdom, right now!”

“I cannot help you with that. In fact, no one can. You made the decision to infiltrate this kingdom, and now you must live with the consequences,” Lune said.

As he was speaking, he motioned towards several guards who assembled themselves into formation and marched into the area. It was at that moment that Ian realized that their bodies were now blocking his only means of escape.

“Guards, would you please escort Mr. Von Gikkingen to his new quarters?”

“I want to go home,” Ian demanded as two of the guards grabbed both of his arms.

In response to this, he began to struggle, and this caused one of the guards to lose his patience. “I would suggest that you cease struggling,” he said angrily. “We do have claws and we will scratch you.”

As the intruder looked at Lune, all he received was a slight nod.

Moments passed and the group of cats led Ian back in the direction of the castle. His loud objections could still be heard for several moments until they had faded completely.

Once Chorney and Lune were alone, the advisor looked at the monarch. “What will happen now?”

“Ian will never become the next Baron von Gikkingen,” Lune began. “In fact, Humbert has started to overcome the evil caused by that man as well as the efforts that my father undertook.”

“I don’t understand,” Chorney began as he made note of the monarch’s unhappy expression. “If the spell is broken, then why is it you are so unhappy?”

“It lies in the spell’s conditions. Any feat of magic will embody some sort of condition. In fact, the spell is still in place, Chorney, which is why Ian turned into a cat. There must be drastic action taken in order for it to dissolve,” Lune said with an unhappy shake of his head. “In order for Humbert to keep his human form permanently, he must confront his brother one last time.”

“I’m certain that he has intended on doing just that,” Chorney said. “Why would that pose a problem?”

“The problem lies in the fact that it will be unlike anything he’s ever encountered,” Lune began. “He will be faced with a choice; either he must kill his brother or forgive him completely.”

“What would be the preferable option?” Chorney asked. Before the monarch could respond, he continued. “Humbert forgiving his brother, correct?”

Lune shook his head as he glanced sorrowfully off in the direction of the dungeon. “I wish it could be that simple, my friend. If Humbert forgives his brother, then everything will return to what it was before the curse was even cast. If that were to come about, then Humbert von Gikkingen will never start the Cat Bureau, and I will never have married Yuki.”

“I don’t understand,” Chorney managed to speak. “What does Humbert von Gikkingen have to do with you and your love?”

Lune took an unhappy breath as his next words emerged. “If there was never a Cat Bureau, then Haru Yoshioka would never have learned to trust herself. She would have been a cat for the rest of her days and stuck here married to me,” Lune said gravely. “Don’t you see, Chorney? If Baron chooses to forgive his brother, then all the things that happened during the last five years will never have happened at all. That is the impact that one person can have on the rest of us. If he chooses to end his brother’s life, then he will stay human with all memories and all experiences intact.”


	27. Puzzle Pieces

**Chapter 27: Puzzle Pieces**

Humbert was silent some twenty minutes later as he led Haru through the streets in the direction of the Refuge. There was still so much that needed to be said, but neither of them seemed ready or willing to broach any of the subjects at all. In fact, both were completely engulfed in silence as they made their way in the direction of the magical courtyard.

After some time had passed, Haru suddenly stopped walking and simply stared off in the distance as though in a trance.

Taking note of this, Humbert stopped as well before turning around and facing her. “Haru, is something the matter?”

Upon hearing his inquiry, she blinked several times. “Huh?” She whispered.

“You were staring off as though in a daze, and I thought that perhaps we ought to talk about it before we continue on our way.” As he spoke, he looked off in the direction that she had been staring in. Taking note of the busy boulevard, he nodded slightly before reaching for her hand.

Upon making initial contact, he could feel her hand trembling from beneath his touch. Sadness overwhelmed him and he took a deep breath before releasing it in the form of a sigh. It was no secret; Haru was dealing with her own issues ever since he had turned back into a human. _Does she like me more as a cat figurine than as a person?_ He could not help but ask himself.

Before he could say anything else, she spoke, her voice wavering slightly. “It was over there.” She raised her free hand and pointed. Humbert nodded, but turned and stared out across the street in the direction she had indicated. Instead of continuing to speak, she started to walk in the direction of a small alleyway.

This left him with very little choice but to follow her. As he quickened his pace somewhat, he managed to catch up with her. Once he did, he spoke, his words laced in confusion. “What was?”

“I guess it’s like that because Hiromi and I walk that way every day when we come home from school,” she responded as though ignoring his question. When she felt his hand against her shoulder, she continued speaking; this time trying to keep her voice more level then it had been before. “I’m sorry, I was just remembering the day I saw Lune the very first time.”

“You mean the day you saved his life?” He asked.

She nodded. “I am not a very athletic person, but for some reason, I was helping Hiromi out by carrying her lacrosse stick. I guess it was good that I had it because I used it to help Lune.” As she spoke, she pointed to the street where the evening traffic was barreling past in both directions. “He had been walking on this sidewalk, and intended to cross the street right over there.”

“Quite foolish of him,” Humbert mused. “Walking where there is no light, signal, or crosswalk.”

“I think he was sort of in a daze,” she admitted. “That truck must have been a pretty rude awakening for him.”

“Perhaps, but if you would permit me to say it is rather good that we have not crossed such an intersection ourselves since you seem to be in a daze as well,” he responded, his words laced in blunt undertones. “You have been since we left the house.”

“I don’t understand,” she whispered.

He turned around and faced her, only this time, his gaze was so intent that Haru was unable to turn away. When she eventually managed this, he reached over and touched her cheek in the same manner as he had done back in her bedroom. “I think before we return to the Refuge and are subjected to Muta’s wisecracks, you and I need to talk.”

She shrugged her shoulders noncommittally, but closed her eyes and waited for him to continue. “It is very clear to me that you are not the same person that you were before.”

“But I am,” she objected. “You’re the one who’s changed.”

“Haru,” he spoke her name, his simple word laced in exasperation. When she did not respond, his fingertips continued to stroke her cheek. “Look at me.”

She raised her head and when their eyes met, he could see the insecurity that remained. After taking several deep breaths, she found the courage to speak. “I just know that you’re my mother’s pen pal…” Her voice trailed off as his thumb brushed gently over her lips and managed to stop the flow of words.

“Is that all I am,” he began, “your mother’s friend?”

Although his words had emerged gentle, there existed a sense of longing that could not be suppressed. No matter what else he would say, Haru could tell that there existed an even greater implication to his question than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response. She could tell simply by looking at him that he had no intention of going back to solely being a platonic friend of her mother’s. He clearly wanted more.

As a lump lodged itself in the back of her throat, Haru instinctively knew the answer to that question. There was no feasible way for either of them to continue as though nothing had happened. Taking a staggering breath and trying to force the lump down, she responded in the only way she knew how. “N-no.”

“Then you do accept the fact that I am also your friend?” he whispered.

As this question hung lazily in the air, she could feel the tears stinging her eyes. “I…” she tried to speak, but that proved futile. Instead, she felt the silence once more engulf her.

Humbert took a deep breath as he tried to collect his thoughts. “I know that all of this seems unfamiliar to you.” She nodded as he took her hand and brought it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on it. “I can assure you that I do remember everything that happened a year ago and that we shared an unbelievable adventure together. It all started for me the moment you stepped into the Refuge’s courtyard and started to call me ‘Baron’.”

“I don’t even know what to call you now,” she whispered.

“It will take some time for you to accustom yourself to calling me ‘Humbert’, which is actually my name, but if you wish, you may continue to call me ‘Baron’ if it makes all of this easier for you.”

“But, back at the house you said…”

“…I know what I said,” he interrupted her, his voice steady and gentle. “I’m sorry if it confused you. It was never my intention to hurt or upset you.”

“I know, because you’re the kindest…person I ever met,” she whispered. “I just don’t know why I’m so scared.”

“Are you afraid of me?”

“No, of my feelings,” she said sadly. “I don’t even know what it is I’m feeling right now. Everything that happened today is so confusing and it feels wrong because I can’t explain it.” She looked up at him, her brown eyes pleading with him to understand how lost and alone she felt.

“What does your heart tell you, Love?” He whispered.

“My heart…” she mumbled more to herself than to him.

He reached over and touched her chin. “…It seems to be telling you that you have feelings and perhaps some may still be towards me. Maybe it is for that reason that things are so difficult for you. Correct?”

“No, I mean; yes, but there’s something else.”

“Just tell me,” he said gently. “If I know what is weighing so heavily on you, perhaps we can work together and resolve the problem.”

“The thing is, I know I’m just a kid…” she began, her voice wavering. “…and you…you’re older and much more sophisticated than I am.”

“I am not that much older than you and as for my manner, well that is the way I am,” he said earnestly. When she did not respond, he continued. “My dear, I don’t expect you to change to accommodate that. I only ask that you please accept me as I do you.”

In response to this, she merely shrugged her shoulders. Seeing this, he smiled gently at her. “I know you said that I was your mother’s friend once. That is true, and I cannot change it. However, you must understand that during our correspondence, I was a boy who wanted nothing more than to learn about a culture and practice what little of your language I knew. I had no interest in dating at all. In fact, my concerns back in those days were obtaining acceptable marks in school, playing football, and writing letters. If I had conveyed even the remotest interest in one of my pen friends, then my family would have insisted on meeting the young lady in question.” His gaze locked intently on her as his next words emerged. “I was never romantically interested in your mother, Haru; we were _just friends_. Today, I am older and when I do begin courting someone who bears the Yoshioka name, then that someone I intend to court would most assuredly not be your mother…it would be you.”

“Me?” She whispered.

He smiled gently and nodded. “You know that I told you only yesterday that I care for you, but I think you know that in this particular instance; ‘care’ could be interchanged with ‘love’. I have known all along that I care for you; you’re kind and courageous, and you have a wonderful way about you. I also know deep down inside that I would never have made it this far without you.”

“You mean y-you love me?” She whispered.

In response to this, he smiled and nodded as he reached for both of her hands. Once she had surrendered them, he wordlessly ran his gloved fingers over her own. After several moments, he moved his hands up to her shoulders. There, he could feel them trembling from beneath his touch, but this did not stop him from following through with his heartfelt intentions.

With both hands; he moved them until he was gently cupping her face. Slowly, he tipped up her chin as he leaned in.

As she felt the softness of his lips brushing against hers, the butterflies that had been in the pit of her stomach throughout the conversation suddenly went berserk. Without thinking about where she was or what she was doing, she raised her arms and allowed them to slowly wind their way around him, her fingers meshing into his tawny colored hair.

When the kiss eventually broke, she was blushing madly. Fortunately for her, they were still in the alleyway and her face was concealed by the shadows.

“We should get to the Refuge now, there is something else that must be done,” he said, his words indicative that he had not seen how red her face actually had been.

“Is it about Ian?” She asked.

He nodded. “Yes, Ian is the reason for everything that has happened. While I am grateful that you and I met because of those actions, I can only conclude that it was his jealousy that has brought undue harm to so many; particularly to his young son as well as my parents.”

“It’s strangely reassuring that you think about what they lost, and not about what you did,” she mused.

“As a figurine, I gained a great deal more than I could have imagined; I found you or better said, you found me.” He looked at her as he continued speaking. “Do you recall the last letter I wrote, when I told your mother that I was afraid of Ian?” Once she nodded, he continued. “I’m no longer afraid of him, Haru.”

“You’re not?” She asked weakly.

“No, I’m not really certain what I feel, but I do need answers,” he said sadly. “Perhaps it is wrong of me to feel anger and hostility towards him, but these are the feelings that I carry. But I also feel indescribable regret, sadness, and hurt…”

“…None of those feelings are wrong,” she interrupted him. “He did something unforgivable.”

“Perhaps, it was, but I must confess that right now my greatest concern is for you,” he said as he reached for her hand. “Do you feel any better?”

“I guess so, but to be honest I think I’ll feel better when all this is over,” she responded as she accepted his hand and felt his gloved fingers encircling her own.

“I will as well,” he said as he continued to lead her in the direction of the Refuge.

~~~~~~

Steven von Gikkingen was seated alone on the ground just below Toto’s pedestal that evening. He did not mind being alone, in fact, he was quite grateful for the moments of solitude that were afforded him.

Muta had gone over to sit down and read the daily paper while Aberdeen and Minka had retreated back inside the house. Toto had gone to collect mulberries and so the boy was left completely alone with his contemplations.

The boy had watched Lune leave the courtyard and disappear in the same blue nimbus of light that had brought the cat ruler, Toto and him to this magical place. Of course, this did not stop the questions that were literally ravaging his mind. _What did Muta mean by ‘an aunt’? What did Toto mean when he said my unselfishness had given way to change? How could I have made a difference to my uncle at all?_

One after another the questions filtered about in the young boy’s mind. He could not understand how Minka had ended up there or what this place actually was, but now he just wanted to think about the events of the day.

The Refuge’s courtyard was really quite a nice place, but perhaps it gave off that essence because it felt so familiar to him. Somehow, it reminded him of home and how he had seen the models of this courtyard in his uncle’s old bedroom. This did not compare to standing and staring at real-life buildings that were exact replicas of the models, though.

_Where is Uncle Humbert?_ The boy pondered as his gaze continued to scan the courtyard.

After some time had passed, he closed his eyes and felt the gentle breeze wafting against his arms. Shivering slightly, he pulled the front of his jacket closer and wrapped his arms around his upper torso.

Moments later, the sounds of footsteps could be heard in the distance and he felt a bolt of fear curse through him. _It’s my father, he’s found this place and he’s going to kill me,_ the boy thought frantically as he tried to get to his feet, but instead of managing this, he ended up tripping himself up and falling backwards onto the ground.

Fear filled him as he clenched his fists together and waited for the inevitable to happen.

~~~~~~

Unbeknownst to the boy, the approaching figures were not his father at all. Instead, they were Humbert and Haru. The couple stood together at the landing that led up and into the courtyard. They had reached it and were now watching the boy who was seated beneath the pedestal. When he stumbled and fell, they exchanged concerned glances.

“Who is that?” Haru eventually whispered. “Do you know him?”

Humbert took a deep breath as his green eyes widened. “I don’t believe it,” he whispered under his breath. “It’s my nephew Steven, but what in the world is he doing here? How on earth did he manage to find the Refuge?”

“I think you should go and ask him,” she responded. “Maybe he’s here to help and you should not keep him waiting. Given that he sent the email, it is possible that he wanted to see you so badly that he came all this way to do so.”

He nodded as he rubbed his hands together before walking over to where the Steven was seated.

When Humbert reached the boy, he sighed sadly. Physically, Steven had changed, but emotionally, it was clear that his nephew was still as fragile as an eggshell. _Ian has all but destroyed this child,_ he thought sadly as he regarded how the overwhelming fear literally embodied his nephew.

“Steven?” He spoke the boy’s name before crouching down so that he could be eye level with him. “Don’t be afraid, it’s me, Humbert.”

Steven raised his head and stared. It was apparent that he was relieved that the person standing before him was not his father at all. Instead, it was the uncle he barely knew or remembered. “Uncle H-Humbert?” He stammered.

In lieu of a response, he received a slight nod.


	28. Reunions of the Heart

**Chapter 28: Reunions of the Heart**

Swallowing, Steven kept his gaze locked on the man before him. “B-but, how?” He whispered as he felt himself engulfed in the arms of someone he had not seen in five long years. When no response emerged, he continued speaking, his voice laced in disbelief. “My f-father s-said that you were dead…” As his voice trailed off, it was clear that the emotions had gotten the better of him.

Humbert nodded. “I know what he said, Steven.”

“Y-you do?”

“Ian has never liked me so I can pretty well imagine him saying such things to explain where I’ve been these past years.”

“You mean; you knew?” The boy whispered.

“Yes,” the simple response emerged. “Yet it seems rather apparent that Ian wasn’t able to convince you of that, was he?” He backed away briefly in order to retrieve a handkerchief from his jacket pocket. This, he pressed into his nephew’s hand.

Upon feeling the soft piece of cloth, the boy used it to wipe his eyes. “I never told him what I thought. I was afraid that he’d…” His voice trailed off as his gaze diverted shamefully away from his uncle.

“He harmed you, didn’t he?” Humbert asked while his fists unconsciously clenched. It was apparent that he was trying without success at keeping his anger at bay. After several moments, he reached over and gently pushed up one of the sleeves that still covered the boy’s arm. Upon seeing the bruises, he nodded sadly. “I had somehow suspected that Ian was abusing you. I had no proof, at least not until now.”

Steven lowered his head as fresh tears streamed down his cheeks. “I didn’t want anyone to know…”

“Why didn’t you? If you had, then someone would have protected you from him. They would have done something to help,” Humbert said with traces of disbelief laced in his words. “What about my parents? Did they know?”

Steven shook his head. “No, and besides that, they hate me.”

“I don’t believe that; and neither should you,” Humbert responded sternly. “My parents wouldn’t have hated you, Steven, it’s not their way. If they were to have known about this then they would have done something to protect you.”

The boy covered his face with his hands and helplessly shook his head.

~~~~~

Haru sat and watched the scene play out as tears caught in her eyes. Remembering the letters that Humbert had written to her mother and how afraid he had been of Ian cemented the sadness and hopelessness that she felt as she watched the actions of the young boy.

At the same instant, Minka had obviously heard the ruckus from inside and was now coming out to see what was happening. When she saw Steven seated on the ground with an older man, her first inclination was to approach and find out who specifically the stranger was. Before she could follow through with these intentions, Haru had reached down and picked her up.

“What’s the meaning of this?” The gray colored cat hissed before turning around and seeing Haru staring down at her.

“Shhh,” the young woman responded. “They need some time, Minka. Humbert needs to find out what has happened during the past five years. He needs to know what he’s missed.”

“That’s Humbert?” The cat whispered.

“Yes, the curse has been broken,” Haru said with a nod of her head. “Baron…I mean; Humbert and I came back because something needs to be done about Ian.” She glanced over towards the pair before returning her attention to the cat. “I don’t think there is time to explain what specifically happened, but things are pretty emotional for both of them right now.”

Minka nodded, but when she saw that Steven was actually crying, she looked up at Haru. “I never would have believed that Steven von Gikkingen could cry or hug anyone. He was always so cold and distant.”

“It was just an act, Minka. Steven was being abused by his own father, and nobody knew it. Just now, before you came out here, Baron had started to look for some evidence of abuse. I saw Steven flinch, and then noticed the bruises and injuries that were on his arms. The thing is, if it weren’t for Steven, Humbert would still be a cat figurine and we’d still be sitting on my bedroom floor reading through old letters. The message that Steven sent, enabled Baron to remember who he is.” She paused for several moments before continuing to speak. “I think maybe he always knew what Ian was capable of, he just didn’t want to hurt his nephew.”

“What’s going to happen now?” Minka asked.

“I don’t know,” Haru said. “Baron, I mean; Humbert, told me earlier that he has to confront his brother, but he didn’t go into too much detail about it.”

Instead of waiting for the cat to respond, Haru carried her over to where Humbert and Steven were sitting. By this time, the embrace with Steven had ended and they were both sitting on the ground, their legs folded beneath the weight of their bodies.

Silently, Haru sat down on the ground near them. In this stance, Minka managed to crawl off her lap and sit down on the cobblestones.

No words were spoken as Humbert and Steven turned and looked at them. “I don’t understand, Uncle Humbert. What is this place? My father said you were sent to Tokyo. But, this doesn’t look like Tokyo.”

“I was sent to Tokyo, but soon after my arrival there, I found myself here,” he began. “I do not remember all of the events that led up to my coming here; I simply recognized this place to be mine. Later, I discovered why that was so. It was rather like the idea that my thoughts and ideas could be manifested around me without actually doing anything. Through these experiences I had somehow come to understand that I possessed this strange sort of magic.”

“What do you mean?” Steven asked.

“Well, do you remember when you were little and how we talked about everything having energy? As a child, you were trying to understand the basic laws of physics.”

“I don’t remember,” Steven mumbled.

“You were only five,” Humbert said with a small smile. “It stands to reason. Anyway, what I told you was that everything had energy. That included thoughts and ideas. It reaffirmed itself when Haru showed me the pictures that you sent earlier today. One of them was of my room back home, which was the last place that I remembered being in before the curse happened. Later, after I ended up here, I recreated the last recollection I had. I didn’t know it then, because I had no memory of it, but for whatever reason, that became my reality.”

“What’s going to happen to this place now?” Haru asked.

“Nothing, until someone else comes along and decides that it needs to be changed,” Toto’s voice emerged and they raised their heads to see the majestic crow landing above them on the pedestal. “Muta was worried about that when all this started, but if he had listened, then he would have known that nothing can take away the meaning behind this place. The physical incarnation of the Refuge may, in fact, change, but the underlying meaning to it never will. It is very much like the energy that you described earlier, Baron.”

As his words emerged, the crow humbly bowed his head in respect to the man who was now seated on the ground beneath his perch. “This place cannot be created or destroyed; it merely is. Magic works and flows in very much the same way.”

“Then, you mean the Refuge will always be here?” Haru asked as relief washed over her.

“Yes, there will always be a place where those who have been affected by unbelievable circumstances can go,” Toto said with a nod.

“Toto, did you have anything to do with Baron ending up here?” Haru asked.

The black crow nodded. “I am a Creation, Haru, and as such, I go out into the world and search for other Creations and bring them to where they will do the most good. I have been following the von Gikkingen story for many moons.”

“Is that why you came to see me?” Steven asked.

“Yes,” Toto nodded. “I knew that you had the potential to do good works, you just needed to see beyond the words your father was telling you. I came to you for a reason, Steven. You know deep down inside that I appeared to you to give you a message, but I also intended on being your friend as well as your teacher.”

“I didn’t think anyone cared,” Steven whispered.

“I cared,” Humbert said.

“He did, it was evident in the letters that he wrote to my mother,” Haru affirmed.

“But, I still don’t understand,” Steven whispered.

“I know, and it will take far too much time for me to explain everything that has happened.” Humbert paused before taking a deep breath. Releasing it, he looked at his nephew, his eyes filled with sincerity. “Steven, I think it would be best for you to return home.”

“I can’t,” the boy objected. “Toto and Lune said that I may not be able to return once I got here.”

“That may be so, but imagine how hard it is going to be for any of us to explain your presence here when your grandparents arrive in Tokyo on Tuesday,” Haru interjected. “It will be hard enough for Baron…I mean; Humbert, to explain where he’s been during the past five years.”

“Haru, just call me Baron, that’s what you’re used to,” Humbert said gently.

At that moment, none of them noticed that Muta put down his newspaper, got to his feet, and approached them. “Hey Chicky, what’s going on?” His voice broke into their dialogue.

Haru took a deep breath as she looked at the large white colored cat. “Don’t you recognize him, Muta?” She asked as she motioned towards where Humbert and Steven were still seated on the ground. “The curse that was on Baron has been lifted. He’s back to himself.”

“I see that,” the fat cat groused as Aberdeen stepped outside and was listening silently to the dialogue that was taking place. “I just don’t believe it. Why did you come back here?”

In response to this question, Humbert raised his head. “There are some things that I must attend to, Muta.”

“Such as?”

“He has to confront Ian once and for all,” Toto began. “In order for the curse to be completely lifted, Baron must do one of two things.”

“You mean the curse is still in place?” Haru asked. “But, I thought that it had been lifted now that Baron’s back to normal.”

“In some respects, it would appear as though the curse is lifted, but deep down inside, Baron knows what this will entail,” Toto said. “As with any piece of dark magic, there are always going to be stipulations affixed.”

“What sort of stipulations?” Haru asked. “Lune said that he just had to remember his previous life. He’s already done that.”

Humbert reached for Haru’s hand and once he held it, he waited for her to raise her head and look at him. “I must return to the Cat Kingdom, Haru. I already told you that back at your house.”

“I know, but why?” She whispered.

“You already know the answer to that,” the former cat figurine whispered. “I must confront Ian, and I must do it now. Haru, there are things about this curse that you don’t yet know and unless I confront Ian, then I shall be forced to return home under some not so lovely circumstances. One of which states that once that happens; I would have no memory of the Refuge, its inhabitants, or the events of the past five years.”

“You mean; you’d forget all about me?” She asked weakly.

“Not willingly,” he responded in kind. “The fact would be that you would have no memory of me.”

“I would never forget you, Baron,” Haru said passionately. “Not ever!”

“Unfortunately, you would,” he said sadly.

“Well then, if you must do this, then I’m going with you,” she whispered.

“I am too,” Steven said firmly. Aberdeen silently nodded in concurrence.

“No, I must do this alone,” Humbert objected.

Haru took a deep breath. “No! You were alone when he cursed you. You were alone when you came here and knew nothing of your family or past. I am not going to leave you to face this alone. Keep in mind, Baron, you didn’t leave me alone to face the Cat King last year, you were there; right there by my side. You saved my life and now it’s my turn to help save yours.”

“I can’t convince you stay here, can I?” He asked with a reluctant sigh.

“No way,” she affirmed.

Sighing, the former Creation relented. “Alright, but I do want Minka, Aberdeen, and Steven to go home. Toto, can you take them?”

The crow shook his head. “I’m sorry Baron, but there is no magic that can enable us to return to England right now. Whether you like it or not, all of us are a part of this story. That means that in order for the curse to be destroyed once and for all, we must all journey to the Kingdom of Cats together.”

Sighing, Humbert nodded. “Alright, but you must all promise me that you will not initiate contact with Ian.” He looked pointedly at his nephew. “This especially means you, Steven.”

The boy reluctantly nodded.


	29. A Moment in Time

**Chapter 29: A Moment in Time**

Ian von Gikkingen could not remember a time in his life when he felt as angry, humiliated, and confused as he did at that precise moment. The dungeon where he was now being held captive was small in size and smelled of catnip. The window that brought in light from beyond was up near the ceiling and several meters out of his reach. Even if had been accessible to him, it was still secured by steel bars. The walls all the way around him were covered with a sticky substance that seemed to have the feel and consistency of two-sided tape.

As the incoming light danced across the stone walls, the prisoner took a deep breath and stared at it for several moments. This miniscule amount of light was the only thing that was visible in an otherwise dark and dismal prison. He stared down at his body as he shook his head. He then ran one of his padded paws over his, now furry arms.

_Why am I stuck here in such a deplorable state?_ He asked himself for the umpteenth time. _What did I do to deserve this?_

After the guards had mercilessly left him alone, he realized very quickly that there was not much to see. The medieval like chamber was empty except for a small sliding hatch where food could be shoved into the cell. The door situated to the right of it had been firmly slammed shut and locked, thus preventing his escape. Nearby, a bowl of water was on the floor and on the far wall; a small oval shaped bed was placed. Finally, the meager decorations were finished out by what looked to be a litter box that was situated directly beneath the window.

Even now, Ian could still not figure out why it was that he had been turned into a cat. After all, he had been to the Kingdom of Cats before and there had been no side effects back then. Why would there be any now? This particular mystery only succeeded in mounting his fear. Now, he was left to conclude that Lune had obviously had something to do with this unforeseen transformation.

Moments later, his attention shifted as he watched as the ‘food hatch’ abruptly slid open and a familiar voice emerged. “I have come bearing news.” As these words filled his triangular shaped ears, he immediately recognized that they belonged to Lune.

“Why am I here?” He demanded. This simple inquiry did not emerge in the familiar and intimidating cadence that he had so often used in the past. Instead, it was weak and showed the extent of his fear and uncertainty. This was something that he was more or less unwilling to acknowledge. Instead of contemplating it further, he waited for Lune to respond.

“You chose to be here.” The king’s answer was flat.

“No, I most assuredly did not,” Ian snapped.

Instead of responding in an argumentative tone, Lune reached the conclusion that it would be best to inform the prisoner as to why he had come in the first place. “Your brother; Humbert, is on his way here and when he arrives, I must take you to see him. You will notice once you see him that he has, in fact, reclaimed his human form.”

“How can that be?” Ian asked. “Your father assured me that the tea would work on a permanent basis.”

“My father was wrong. When your brother remembered his past, he was able to break the spell and reverse its effects. Because of the form of magic that was used, the reverse effects are countered upon the one who initiated the magic. My father did not inform you of this, and that is the reason as to why you have been transformed into a cat. Much of the magic that is used in this kingdom holds stipulations of this kind. Perhaps it is best clarified by the human term known as ‘karma’.”

“Does Humbert really know that I’m here?”

“Indeed he does; one because I informed him of your presence, but also because your son told one of Baron’s friends where you had gone,” Lune said, all the while ignoring the skeptical look that had crossed Ian’s face at the mere mention of his brother going by the name ‘Baron’. “The truth of the matter is, the things that your brother knows might actually surprise you.”

“Is this another praise Humbert ceremony coming on? If it is, I think I’ll pass,” Ian grumbled.

Patiently, Lune took a deep breath and spoke. “It is time for us to go,” he said as the sound of keys rattling could be heard.

Moments later, the resonance of a lock clicking could be heard as well as the door abruptly opening. This left Ian looking into the mismatched eyes of the monarch. Seconds later, Lune spoke, his voice matter-of-fact. “I will advise you to not run away, as there is no place for you to run to.”

“Where are we supposed to meet him?” Ian wanted to know.

“You will soon find out,” Lune responded as several guards joined them and they left the dungeon.

As they came outside several minutes later and headed towards the King’s maze, Ian found himself contemplating everything that had just been said. How would he face his brother knowing that he had made many mistakes? What would happen when they reached the place where the meeting was to take place? There was no question in his mind; Ian still wanted his brother dead. A quick glance in the direction of the young cat monarch indicated that in this state, Ian would have quite a difficult time accomplishing even that.

Reaching the entrance to the maze, Ian raised his head and looked at the king. “There’s no way to get through it, I know I’ve tried.”

Lune nodded. “Yes, there is.”

As if on cue the fake walls suddenly moved leaving a direct path from the castle terrace to the base of the tower. Silently, the monarch led the prisoner through the maze until they reached the base of the newly refurbished tower.

As they began to make their ascent, Ian’s throat was unusually dry.

~~~~~~

At the same time Ian and Lune were making their way up the side of the tower, Humbert and his friends were getting ready to enter the portal that would lead them into the Kingdom of Cats. This was located along the perimeters of the Refuge’s courtyard and it was the very same pathway Lune had often used to travel between the magical courtyard and his realm.

As the bluish colored light filled the area, it left Baron and Haru staring sadly into the portal. After swallowing the nervousness that encased her, Haru spoke. “I never thought there would ever be a reason for me to go back there,” she mused, her voice laced in nervousness as she recalled the adventure from the year before.

Humbert nodded in concurrence, “I had not anticipated returning either, but you and I both know that it is something that must be done.” He extended his hand to her and upon feeling her touch, he smiled sadly as the two of them stepped into the nimbus of light.

Behind them, Steven, Muta, Aberdeen, and Minka stood waiting for their turn to enter the portal. Once the three cats and remaining human had entered the light, the boy found himself gasping as he realized what had changed about him. He was now the same size as Minka and considerably smaller than Muta and Aberdeen. Staring down at his body, he swallowed as he tried to divert his focus away from his stature and towards the vastness of the green meadow.

“W-what’s going on?” The boy eventually stammered.

“You’re cat sized now,” Minka responded. “Don’t worry; when you return home, you’ll go back to your normal size.”

“If I go home,” Steven mumbled. “Who’s to say I’ll be able to?”

“Scared, huh?” Muta asked with a sideways glance towards Minka. “You weren’t so scared when you were affixing pots to her tail.”

“H-how’d you know about that?” The boy asked.

“I told him,” Aberdeen said. “It was after Minka told me.”

Steven’s expression turned sheepish and he lowered his head, clearly intimidated by Muta’s blunt statement. Internally, he swore that he was completely through with abusing those weaker than himself. Instead of hanging back with the three cats, he raced ahead to catch up with his uncle and Haru.

“So, which way do we go?” He eventually spoke, his words trying to conceal the nervousness that overwhelmed him.

“That way,” Haru pointed. “The castle is not too far away, and something tells me Lune is expecting us.”

Humbert nodded in agreement as he turned around to wait for the three cats to catch up with them. Once they did, the boy’s next question emerged. “Where’s Toto? He was with us a few minutes ago. Why isn’t he here now?”

“Toto will be along,” Baron said. “He doesn’t fit well with a bunch of cats, especially since his size changes too and he feels rather like a sparrow in a den of tigers.”

The boy nodded as he felt his uncle’s hand suddenly resting on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Steven, everything will work out. Contrary to what you may be thinking, you are not alone.”

_But I am_ , the boy thought sadly. _You are all friends with each another, but I’m nothing more than the odd one out._ Instead of verbalizing these feelings, the boy slowly followed them towards the castle. After several moments, he raised his head and spoke. “Uncle Humbert?”

“Yes?”

“What are you going to do about my father?”

“I do not know,” the honest response emerged. “There is a part of me that wishes I could reconcile with him; but there is another, much larger part of me that is very angry with him. Deep down inside, I have been wondering what I should do…or what I think might be the best thing for you.” As he spoke, Haru unconsciously reached for his hand.

“For me?” The boy whispered as tears caught in his eyes. “But, why?”

“I don’t think he knows why, he just feels that way,” Haru spoke up. “If you don’t believe it, then maybe you should just read the letters that he wrote to my mother. He talked about you so much in them that as I was reading them, it felt as though I already knew you even though we had never met. He said that you were smart, but also quite cunning. He also said that you were lonely and he felt for you after your mother left…”

“…My mother…” the boy whispered as he stopped walking and lowered his head. “…She never said why she left, she just walked out.”

“She was being abused, Steven,” Humbert said softly. Before continuing, he looked at Muta. “Could you lead them on to the castle? We’ll be along in a few minutes.”

Muta nodded. “Anything you say, Baron. Coming Chicky?”

Haru looked at Humbert and when she received a slow nod from him, she started to make her way along with the three cats. This left Steven and Baron alone.

“They call you ‘Baron’,” he whispered once they were alone.

“Yes, they do, and poor Haru has become very confused about that,” he said sadly. “Perhaps because when she met me, I was using the name ‘Baron’, and once I remembered who I was, she used it again and then I got angry with her and told her that that was not my name.”

“Why did you get mad?”

“I don’t really know,” he admitted. “Perhaps I was afraid to remember my past and what going back meant. To be called that name now; means that I have no other alternatives but to accept my fate, assume my responsibilities, and return to England,” he said. “If you want to know the truth, it’s a rather awkward nickname since I was never much into titles.”

“Is that why you would not want to return to England?” The boy asked. “Is it because of that girl?”

Humbert took a deep breath but nodded. “Yes, she’s a very important part of my life now, and I don’t want to leave her behind.”

“But, you would, right?”

“I would have very little choice given what has transpired within our family.”

“Then that means; you regret what happened,” Steven whispered.

“Some of it, yes, but most of it, no. That’s where my conflict lies. I don’t want to change the last five years because I don’t want to erase Haru from my memory.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It centers on the question of whether or not I would have changed the events of the past five years,” he began. “I would not wish to.”

“But, if you had been around, then my mother would have stayed…I just know she would have. She liked you; she thought you were nice.”

“Steven, my presence would never have changed what happened. Your mother was being abused, and she was afraid. There was nothing that any of us could have done to change what had happened to her,” he said honestly. “The last time I talked to her was several days before I found myself at the Refuge. She said she couldn’t take much more of Ian’s abuses and had already decided to go. I tried to convince her to stay and to fight for custody, but she said that there was no way a commoner like her could ever fight against a noble’s son.”

“If I had mattered, then she would have at least tried.”

Humbert shook his head. “Your mother was fully aware that because she was not of ‘noble birth’, that she had no means to fight for her rights. She also knew that because of the odds that were stacked against her, fairness would never have happened in this case. She didn’t want to put you through the strains of that.”

“Why?”

“It’s very simple, Steven, she loved you.”

“I don’t believe that,” the boy whispered.

Humbert nodded. “I know, but it’s the truth. Let me explain something to you about what it means to be of a noble family. Status is one of the things that are a part of being a noble, but there is something else that is imperative, and that is integrity. Many commoners do not believe that a noble can posses that. They wish to have proof before they can believe it. They want to see that we possess the ability to act in a noble way, or to demonstrate that particular attribute. Your mother knew that your father viewed himself as being above the commoner’s law and this was clearly something that she could never have gone up against. She would have been ridiculed by the press, and judged by commoners and nobles alike. Anytime a commoner marries into a noble house, they are unconsciously forced by society to prove that they are worthy and acceptable of their new status. This was one of the things that made me feel uncertain about assuming any noble title because I know that I could never have chosen a woman of noble birth to be my wife. My father was the same, Steven, and it was for that reason that he and my mother were so well matched. They got along better with the servants than they did with other nobles. Why? Perhaps because they never liked formalities and always wished that others would address them by their given name. My father had it hardest of all; because his best friend was the butler.”

“You mean, what Eleanor told me about Grandfather and Heinrich being friends was true?”

“Yes,” Humbert nodded. “My father has always considered Heinrich to be his closest friend.”

“Eleanor said that they both had it pretty hard.”

Humbert nodded. “She’s quite right, they did.”

“Uncle Humbert, what would have happened if you had been able to stay?” The boy could not help but ask.

“No one knows because everything happened differently than was anticipated.” He turned and faced the boy before resting his hands on both of his nephew’s shoulders. “With that said, I have always felt a sense of responsibility for you. I mentioned that not only to my parents but also to Haru’s mother in my communications with her. You have always been the center of everything that I have done or am doing.”

“I never thought I was really that important,” Steven whispered.

“I knew you felt that way, but it was never true,” he responded firmly. “Even as a small child, I could tell that you were going through something very difficult. It was for that reason that I never judged you for your mistakes. The truth is; I know that I am not your father and it was never my task to take his place. I simply knew that you needed someone to be there for you as you were growing up. After everything that has happened, I sincerely want to be there for you now.”

“I wish you had been my father instead of him, then at least I could have turned out alright,” Steven began to cry softly as he felt himself being drawn into his uncle’s embrace.

“You are alright, Steven, don’t ever believe otherwise,” Humbert whispered as Muta’s voice suddenly interrupted them.

“Hey you two, come on, we have to get to the castle already.”

As he backed out of his uncle’s embrace, Steven raised his head. “Thank you.”

“You’re so welcome,” Humbert said with a smile. “Do you feel any better?”

Steven nodded. “A little, but Uncle Humbert, you have to do what’s right, too. Don’t sacrifice anything for the sake of someone who wants you dead.”

Humbert’s eyes widened, but instead of speaking further, he offered a slight nod as the two of them started to walk in the direction of the castle. The confrontation between brothers was about to take place, and no one knew what was going to happen next.


	30. High Noon

**Chapter 30: High Noon**

_‘High Noon’ seems a pretty accurate summation for what is about to happen,_ Haru was thinking as she and her friends reached the base of the tower. Casting a quick glance skyward, the young woman inhaled slowly as she began to climb the newly renovated stairs. This would ultimately lead to the very place where she had confronted the former Cat King that fateful day a year ago.

Without commenting on the wild-west scenarios that were careening about in her mind, Haru found herself pacing her steps so that she would be walking alongside Humbert. _Perhaps he is thinking about the very same things I am,_ her thoughts continued to drift.

She cast a shy glance towards him and noted that he carried a look on his face that was somewhere between melancholy and determination. She wondered what he was thinking and instead of commenting, she simply watched his unhurried movements. By this time, their pace had slowed dramatically leaving them approximately two meters behind Steven, Aberdeen, Minka, and Muta.

As the distance between the six friends widened another twenty or so centimeters, Humbert suddenly stopped walking before turning and facing her. “Do you remember what happened the last time we were here?”

“Yes,” she whispered. It was clear from her expression that she would never forget the chivalrous way he had returned to her side, picked her up, and carried her up the stairs. Of course, at the same time, it still embarrassed her to think about how she had gotten caught staring worshipfully up at him. The memory of that still made her blush.

Luckily for her, Humbert had other things on his mind and his next words brought her crashing back down to earth. “There’s something I want to say before we get up there.” These words abruptly shifted her focus completely away from the past events and back to him.

“Haru, no matter what happens today, try not to forget that I care for you.”

“Why would I forget that?” She asked softly. “I’ve always known – somehow.”

He nodded as he reached over and touched her face. “What I want you to know is that I’ve been thinking about the difference that one person can make in the life of another and how special that is.” As these words emerged, he could feel the tears, which were catching in his eyes. Taking a deep breath and ignoring the stinging sensation, he continued speaking the words that were in his heart. “If it weren’t for you, I’d have never remembered my family.”

“In time, you would have,” she whispered gently.

He shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t have even known about them. You see, it’s impossible for me to seek out the answers when I would never have even known what the questions were.” He paused. “Haru, it was you…you and Minka who knew the truth. You risked everything to open my eyes and make me realize who I am and where it is I belong.” He reached over and touched her face. “That’s a very special ability; one encased in courage and determination. It is one that puts the well being of another ahead of one’s own.”

Haru swallowed hard, but instead of maintaining eye contact, she lowered her head as though trying to take in what he had just said. She knew beyond any doubt that his acknowledgement had left her feeling validated and special.

His words also gave her the clarity that she had been seeking since the start of the year when everyone was telling her to pick a career. Haru now knew what it was she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She now had a goal to strive for and this lifted the burdens she had been harboring all this time.

Of course, her knowing that Humbert was beside her helped. From the simple act of looking at him, she knew that she would have all the support that she would ever need. Contrary to ultimately facing Ian von Gikkingen; the young woman knew that happiness and fulfillment were finally within her reach.

“What are you thinking about?” Humbert asked after some moments of silence had passed between them.

Haru smiled slightly as she felt his fingers winding their way around her hand. “I was thinking about what was happening in my life before your father’s letter arrived. Baron, I had never felt so lost in my life. It was because I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do after high school. All my friends back home knew, but I didn’t and I felt sort of like an oddball because of it.”

“Why is that so important?” Humbert asked. “I knew of people well into their studies who didn’t know what they wanted to do.”

“I know, but I felt stupid because I didn’t. I mean; it’s sort of like you wanting to be an architect and knowing that that was your ambition,” she said as she wrapped her free arm around his waist. “I want to do something that will make me happy, but up to now, I didn’t know what that was. Thanks to you, now I think I do.”

“What do you want to do?” He asked.

“I want to help people, sort of like how I helped you last night,” she said. “I know that people expect me to go into things like chemistry or science, but that’s not what I want. The last few days have made that clear.” As she spoke, she tightened her hold on him. “I guess it finally felt right for me to distance myself from my own problems so that I could help you with yours.”

“You did help, but now that you have done your part, it will be up to me to bring this to completion,” he whispered as he leaned over and brushed his lips against her cheek. “And I will.”

“Then let’s get this done,” she said softly. “Then maybe afterwards, we can talk about the future.”

As the two of them raised their heads, they could see that up ahead, their friends had stopped walking and were looking back and waiting for them to start moving again. Offering a short nod, Humbert ceremoniously picked Haru up in his arms before continuing the trek up the side of the tall tower.

Haru leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. To her, resting in his arms simply felt like heaven.

Just before reaching the top, Humbert stopped walking and gently lowered her to the ground before taking a deep inhalation of breath. Both he and Haru knew that fate was waiting for them at the top of those particular stairs. Exchanging glances, Haru rested her hand on his shoulder. She knew that his intention was clear, and that was to bravely face his younger brother once and for all.

~~~~~

As they reached the top, the first individual that they saw was the king. The monarch was standing several meters in front of a group of guards who were still regarding Ian as though he was still a prisoner. Lune’s expression was as serious as it had been when he had confronted his father a year ago. Haru immediately took note of this, but a glance in Muta’s direction showed that the obese feline also remembered.

Seconds passed and Lune approached the small party.

“I see you made it,” he offered as a cordial greeting. Of course, given the somber look on his face, the friends could all tell that the monarch was enjoying this about as much as the prospect of sharing catnip martinis with his inebriated father.

“Yes,” Humbert said with a curt nod. “I take it Ian is here, too?”

“You may not immediately recognize him, but yes he is,” Lune began.

“What do you mean?” Haru asked.

“He has been transformed and no longer resembles a human.”

“You mean, he’s been turned into a cat?” Muta spoke up. Before Lune could respond he leaned over and nudged Aberdeen. “Well, in that case, it serves him right.”

Aberdeen nodded in concurrence as Minka looked on afraid.

No one’s response could be compared to that of Steven von Gikkingen. His face was a pasty white, and his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned red. “My father’s a cat?” He whispered as he looked at Lune.

The king nodded. “Steven, when you helped your uncle break the spell that was on him, the magic was forced onto the one who cast it. That was your father. Now, the magic demands that your uncle and your father face one another here. That is the way the karma of the kingdom is stated. It was said that ‘he who casts magic of this kingdom must face that same magic if it is altered or changed’. This means that Humbert and Ian von Gikkingen have been prophesized to meet here on neutral ground to settle the differences between then.”

No one responded, instead, they watched as Lune motioned towards the guards and watched as they gave way so that Humbert could now see his younger brother.

Once everyone could see Ian in his feline form, a guffaw escaped from Muta and gasps of shock emerged from both Minka and Steven. Ian raised his head and when heard the laugh and his gaze locked on that of his brother.

Slowly, he started to make his way towards where Humbert was standing. Without any sort of warning, his eyes narrowed, his fur abruptly stood on end, and an angry hiss emerged from between his feline lips.

Muta exchanged glances with Aberdeen, but this time no laughter or words emerged.

Instead, Ian started move about as though a boxer readying himself for a title fight. Seeing Humbert’s friends did little to stop Ian’s aggravation, instead he looked around as though ready to take them all on.

When his gaze locked with Steven, he stared. “What are you doing here?” He hissed.

Steven shrugged his shoulders but said nothing. Instead he watched as his uncle quietly positioned himself between him and Ian. It was clear that Humbert was now ready and able to protect not only his friends, but also his young nephew. He slowly stepped towards his irate brother.

Taking a deep breath, he regarded Ian through unassuming eyes. “What is it about me that you hate so much, Ian?” He asked; his voice neither confrontational nor angry.

This only succeeded in making the younger of the two brothers angrier.

“You have no idea,” Ian hissed as he motioned over his body with one paw. “This is your fault.”

“No it’s not,” Steven shouted despite Lune’s shaking his head and Muta and Aberdeen having to use force to hold the boy back. “It’s yours. If you hadn’t abused Mom like you did then she would never have left and none of this would have happened.”

“What do you know about what she would have done?” Ian shouted; his voice a loud hiss.

“I know she loved me,” Steven whispered. “I know she was unhappy because you made her feel like she was a nothing.”

“She was a nothing, just like all commoners,” Ian snapped.

“Then why did you marry her if you hated commoners so much?”

“Because, she was easy to control,” Ian’s response was simple. “She had no say, and that was just the way I liked it. I could do whatever I wanted, and I had the power to enforce my will.”

Steven’s eyes widened as he regarded his father. “You never loved her.”

“No,” Ian snapped.

As the simple word emerged, the boy could feel indescribable pain wash over him. Without knowing what to say, he lowered his head, but not before feeling a soft paw resting on his arm. He turned his head to see that Minka was now standing beside him, the gray colored cat’s silent contact filled with empathy. From this gesture alone, Steven realized that Minka had always known the truth about his father.

“He doesn’t love anyone, Steven,” she whispered sadly. “He is only interested in power and having a title that he does not deserve.”

The boy nodded as tears caught in his eyes. Wordlessly, he stared at his father, his eyes filled with all the pain and hate that he was capable of expressing. Without warning, he started towards his father, but not before Aberdeen and Muta each grabbed one of the boy’s arms.

“You see what you have done,” Ian shouted at his brother. “You’ve turned my own son against me.”

“I have done nothing of the sort. Steven is learning the extent that his own father would go to get what he wants. What else can you expect from him? You have, for the past years been an example to him of the sort of person he should be.”

“No he’s not,” Steven whispered as he looked at his uncle. “You are.”

Humbert smiled sadly as he regarded his brother through solemn green eyes. “It was your undying jealousy that created this problem. It was neither me nor my actions, Ian. If you recall, I was not even around to create this insane situation. I can only conclude that you have bullied him the same way you bullied your wife, the staff at the manor, and even a defenseless young cat.”

Instead of responding verbally, Ian clenched his fists tightly, all the while forgetting that he now had claws and succeeded only in drawing blood from his palms. Crying out his anger, he started towards his brother, the blood now smearing over his fur.

“I’m going to kill you,” the younger of the two brothers hissed as he lunged towards the former creation.

“Uncle Humbert, look out,” Steven called out as he tried to struggle against Aberdeen and Muta’s insistent hold.

Haru watched in stunned silence as the force behind Ian’s lunge hit against Humbert’s chest and sent him sprawling to the ground. This left him clearly on the defensive.

What Ian did not expect or anticipate was for the dark headed girl to come to his brother’s defense. Ignoring Lune’s earlier words, she reached them, grabbed Ian by the scruff of the neck as though picking up a disobedient cat and pulled him off of his brother. “You’re a bad kitty,” she snapped as he began to thrash about, his claws eventually raking across one of her arms.

Upon feeling this, she released her hold on him and unconsciously grabbed her arm. The gash that was present was much more serious than she had initially surmised, partly because she was now cat sized. This meant that her injuries were ten times worse than what they would have been had a stray merely scratched her in self-defense.

Dizziness overwhelmed her as Ian approached. “I can do far more damage than that,” he hissed as he stood over her, his claws now ready and able to bring even more harm to his perceived enemies. Clearly, Ian von Gikkingen was now able to embrace his transformation.

As he came closer, fear filled the young woman as Ian reached where she was now on the ground. “Baron, help me,” she whispered as she clamped her eyes closed and waited for even more injuries to befall her. When they did not, she opened her eyes to see that Ian stopped dead in his tracks and was staring down at her.

“What did you say?” He snapped. He inched his way closer and loomed over her.

Before Haru could so much as offer a response, the answer emerged from his brother. “She called me ‘Baron’,” the elder of the two brothers said firmly as he grabbed his brother’s tail and pulled him completely away from the woman he loved.

Once Ian was far enough away, Humbert removed his jacket and tossed it to Muta. The silent communication between the two friends was clear and Muta released his hold on Steven and approached where Haru was now on the ground.

“Don’t worry, Chicky,” He said as he wrapped the jacket around her arm and used it to try and stop the bleeding.

Nodding, she managed to open her eyes and watch as Ian stared at his brother through hostile eyes. “I now know your weakness, Humbert. You’re in love with her. Perhaps if I destroy her, then you’ll freely go and jump off the nearest cliff. Since you’re no longer of the feline persuasion, I can only conclude that you will not be lucky and land on your feet.”


	31. The End is the Beginning

**Chapter 31: The End is the Beginning**

Humbert took a deep breath as he regarded his brother through earnest eyes. “Ian, if you so much as try to harm her, I _will_ stop you.”

“Oh give me a break,” Ian shot back. “You don’t have any of the advantages that I have. All you have to your name are three wimpy cats, a useless boy and a smart mouthed girl, who might I add is out of commission at the moment. That’s not going to stop anything. You, my dear brother, may live by the laws of chivalry, but I do not.”

The former Creation took a deep breath as he looked at his brother. The words failed him. He could not understand how it was that Ian had become so consumed in such hateful rhetoric. As these contemplations danced about in Humbert’s mind, he looked briefly at Muta, who was still seated beside Haru and holding a firm paw over the injury that the young woman had sustained.

_She was injured because of me,_ he thought. His gaze drifted to where Aberdeen and Minka were still consoling Steven as well as watching these events unfold. Finally, his gaze came to rest on Lune, who had been joined by a black cat with a star shaped collar and white feet.

Humbert’s attention shifted back to his brother who was rounding him like a boxer in a ring ready to strike. He did not notice that Lune and the black cat had started conversing.

“Where is my father?” The monarch asked softly.

“In the Catfish Bar, I believe, Your Majesty,” the advisor responded.

“Bring him here, straightaway. He needs to bear witness to what his actions have caused,” Lune said sternly. “Take some of the guards with you and do not take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Nodding, Chorney left with several of the king’s guards. Once the advisor was gone, Lune returned his attention to where Ian was still trying to find a way to reach Haru without having to bypass Humbert.

After several seconds, Ian lunged towards his brother, his claws extended and his eyes filled with sinister sickness. It was as though insanity had finally reached the realm of Ian’s dysfunctional mind and he was pent on destroying everything and everyone who stood in his path.

Humbert dodged the onslaught and watched as Ian stumbled before hitting the ground.

“Look at the cat who can’t even land on his own feet,” Aberdeen called out mockingly as Muta laughed.

Haru raised her head only slightly and saw that for a split second, Ian was sprawled out on the ground. She watched as he tried to scramble back to his feet, but cringed when she heard the scraping sound of his claws as they raked across the marbled floor.

Back on his feet, Ian’s anger had increased to such a degree that it rendered him ineffective and clumsy. He lurched his way towards Humbert, but just before reaching him, the elder of the two calmly stuck a single foot out. They all watched as the former human tripped over it and once more collided with the floor.

As his friends began to chuckle, Humbert felt only sadness at having to ward off his own brother’s attacks. He knew that years of hate had culminated to this moment, but still, he could not bring himself to retaliate, only protect himself and those he loved.

The words that Lune had spoken were still ringing in his mind. He must destroy his brother or forget the friends who had stood by him through everything that he had been through. He knew his conscience would never allow him to kill Ian, but yet the prospect of forgetting Haru was impossible for him to fathom.

As he watched Ian get to his feet again, he could see that his brother’s intentions had shifted. This time, instead of attempting another direct assault, Ian was now heading towards the group of friends who were on the sidelines watching. Humbert swallowed nervously knowing that there was no feasible way for him to protect his friends all at once. Haru and Muta were several meters away from the others.

At that moment, Chorney arrived with Lune’s drunken father in tow. Both he and the king stood and watched as the events took a dangerous turn for the worse.

During the course of the confrontation, Aberdeen had relinquished his hold on Steven’s arm and through his fear; the boy had unconsciously backed further and further away from his father and uncle. Now, he stood at the edge without knowing that one more step would mean falling down the side of the tower.

Seeing this as an opportunity, Ian ignored Haru’s situation and started running towards Steven. “You are my son,” he hissed as he raised his front paws with the obvious intention of pushing the boy over the side. “You must be loyal and help me.”

“I won’t,” Steven said evenly.

“You will; with or without your consent!” Ian retorted as he came closer to where his son stood practically rooted to the floor. Without so much as a thought about his own safety, Humbert quickly moved and situated his body protectively between father and son. Seconds later, Ian pushed his extended paws against his brother’s chest, his claws penetrating Humbert’s shirt and leaving him crying out in pain. With one final shove, Ian pushed his brother and son over the side.

Steven reached out at that moment and grabbed his father’s arm and the three of them toppled into the abyss.

Haru screamed and buried her face against Muta as this was happening. “Baron!” she cried hysterically as she clamped her eyes shut. In lieu of words, Muta reached out and pulled her into his hold as the tears that streamed from beneath her eyes and dampened his fur.

As the screams began to dissipate, Lune turned and looked at his father. “You see what you have done?” He whispered. “Your actions have brought more harm to that family than you can imagine. The evil may have been vanquished from this kingdom and the spell destroyed, but at what cost? We have lost a child, Father, because you wanted more power. We have lost a man who carries the mark of nobility by his simple grace and kindness. That stain of blood will stay with you because this day will be remembered in our history.”

In the back of his mind, however, the monarch was relieved in knowing that his relationship with Yuki would remain safe. Yet, he was a conscientious ruler who understood that the loss of life was a far greater cost than his own personal wishes or aspirations.

Ian von Gikkingen was dead, but as Lune glanced towards Haru, who was still softly weeping against Muta, he knew that her world had crumbled.

Sadly he approached and wrapped a comforting paw around her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Haru,” he whispered as she raised her head.

“I-I have to tell his parents…” she whimpered as her weight was shifted and she found herself sinking into the king’s embrace. “This wasn’t supposed to happen, Lune…”

The feline monarch nodded, but after some moments had passed he raised his head and looked at where his father was standing alone. The inebriated cat quietly lowered his head before walking silently away.

~~~~~

Moments later, Haru looked down at the bloodstained jacket that Humbert had given to Muta to stop the bleeding on her arm. For the moment, the bleeding had ceased, but the young woman was still encased in pain. Numbly, she grabbed the sleeve of the jacket and used it to blot the stinging tears from her eyes.

Before anymore words could be spoken, a soft gasp was suddenly detected and the words: “Could someone please lend us a hand?” had emerged.

Haru raised her head. _Could it be?_ She asked herself. _It’s Baron’s voice._ She glanced in the direction it had emerged as a watery smile broke through the sadness. “He’s alive,” she cried out as she pointed to where a hand was still gripping the edge of the tower side. “Muta, Aberdeen, quickly you must help him, Baron’s alive!”

Both cats nodded as Aberdeen released his hold on Minka and joined Muta at the edge. Looking down, they could not only see Ian’s body at the base of the tower, but holding tightly to the side, was Humbert von Gikkingen. One of his hands was gripping the edge, while the other was tightly grasping the sleeve of Steven’s shirt. The boy was weeping softly, his eyes clamped tightly shut.

Acting quickly, Muta grabbed the arm of the former Creation and started to pull him up to safety. “I’ve got you, Baron.”

As this was happening, Aberdeen grabbed Steven’s other arm with both paws and started to pull him up. “You can let Steven go, Baron, I’ve got him.”

With relief, Humbert released the hold on Steven’s shirt and reached for Muta’s second paw.

As soon as Steven and Humbert were safe, Muta glanced skyward. “It looks like old Chicken Wings missed all the excitement,” he said smirking.

Humbert looked at his friend. “Thank you, Muta.”

“Ahh, it’s nothing,” the fat cat responded as he exchanged glances with Aberdeen. “I did have some help, you know.”

Humbert nodded. “Indeed. Thank you, Aberdeen.”

The other large cat nodded, but instead of speaking, the next words emerged from Steven. “W-what happened to my father?” He asked as he started towards the edge in order to look down the side of the tower. Before he could; Humbert had grabbed his arm and pulled him into a tight embrace.

“You don’t want to look down there, Steven,” Humbert whispered.

“Yeah,” Muta mused. “It ain’t pretty.”

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Steven whispered.

“Yes,” Humbert responded sadly. “I couldn’t save you both, Steven, I only had one hand. All I could hear after we were pushed over the side was him screaming as he was falling. He wanted to kill us both and he wouldn’t have stopped until he had accomplished that. His anger and jealousy had completely consumed him.”

“I hate him for what he did,” Steven whispered.

“But, you love him because he was your father,” Humbert said softly. “You just wanted him to love you back.”

The boy nodded. “He wouldn’t.”

“He didn’t know how. He had the most wonderful family, but he turned away from it years ago,” Humbert said as he reached over and brushed his nephew’s tears away. “He deserves our pity, not our hatred.”

Steven buried his face against his uncle and wept. “What’s going to happen now?”

“You will heal in a nurturing family that loves you and wants only the best for you,” Humbert said as Steven raised his head momentarily. “I promise you that.”

Nodding, the boy lowered his head again and felt his uncle’s hand holding it against his chest. “I love you, Uncle Humbert.”

The words emerged so softly that only Humbert heard them. A single tear streamed from beneath his eye as he held the boy tightly in his arms. He offered a slow nod as the sentiment was reciprocated. “I love you, too, Steven.”

As Lune joined the group, he looked sadly at the group. “I must now send you all home, but I have to say I have never witnessed anything more beautiful.” Relief had washed over the feline monarch’s face as he regarded the group.

“But, you said I couldn’t go back,” Steven whispered.

“You couldn’t go back from the Refuge, but from here, you can,” Lune said. “I must send you in two groups. Haru, Baron, and Muta must return to Tokyo and Steven, Minka and Aberdeen must return to England.”

“But, Uncle Humbert, I want to stay with you,” the boy tearfully objected. “Please.”

Humbert got down on his knees in front of his nephew. “I know that is what you want, and I know that it will be incredibly lonely for you, but you must return to England with Minka and Aberdeen as Lune has said. It’s the only way, Steven. Your grandparents are going to wonder how it is that you showed up in Tokyo before they did. It will be hard enough for me trying to explain what happened to Ian as well as why I left and what I have been doing. I don’t think telling Mum and Dad that I have been living in a magical place as a figurine is going to wash.”

Steven nodded sadly but looked at Lune. “Before we go, can I ask you a favor?”

“What’s that?”

“Can you make it possible for me to talk to cats when I get back?” As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears.

“Why?” Aberdeen could not help but ask.

“Because, right now the only friends I have there are cats and I need more than just ‘meow’ and ‘purr’,” Steven responded weakly.

“I cannot give you the ability to talk to and understand all cats, Steven, but I can give you some special magic that will enable you to speak with Minka and Aberdeen.” As he spoke, Lune handed Steven the same small trinket that the boy had held during his conversation with Toto back at the von Gikkingen manor. “You must hold this whenever you speak with Minka and Aberdeen for they are the only cats who will understand you once you arrive back home.”

The boy nodded. “How do we get home?”

“You must climb to the top of the tower, that is where the portal is that will take you there,” Lune said. “You were very brave to have come, Steven, and you have gained the admiration and respect of this kingdom.”

“Will I ever see you guys again?” Steven asked.

“You will,” Muta said with a nod of his head. “That’s what the Refuge is for. Oh and Aberdeen, next time we go out to eat, I’m passing on the sardines, they give me gas.”

Aberdeen chuckled. “I may too, after having gorged myself on such wonderful sushi.” He paused for a moment and then extended a paw to his friend. “See you around, Muta.”

“Yeah and you’d better take good care of this brave little kitten,” the large white cat responded.

“You bet I will,” Aberdeen said as he extended a paw to her. “Are you ready to go home now, Sweetness?”

She accepted his paw, smiled and blushed. “Yes, I think so.” Before walking towards the stairs, she turned and looked at Haru. “Thank you for everything.”

Haru smiled and winked at the smallest of the cats. “You keep that fatso in line,” she said with a giggle.

Minka covered her mouth with a paw to hide her mirth while Aberdeen objected with a loud ‘hey!’ Instead of speaking further, he lovingly led the small gray cat towards the stairs.

As they began their ascent, Steven looked at Humbert. “I guess this is it, huh?”

“I’ll see you soon, Steven,” the former Creation said gently. “I will be flying back to England after I get everything taken care of in Tokyo.”

The boy nodded, but sadly followed the two cats up the stairs.

“Is he going to be okay?” Haru asked softly.

Humbert nodded. “It’s going to be hard for him, but he’s strong. After all, he is a von Gikkingen, and maybe one day he’ll become lord of the manor.”

“After you,” Haru said softly as she wound her arms around him and held on.

He smiled and nodded. “If that is my father’s wish, then yes, but I may still need a Baroness.”

“Is that a proposal?” Haru asked with a cheeky smile on her face.

Humbert smiled in kind. “No, it’s a mere suggestion.”

“Suggest away,” she giggled, but after several moments of silence, an earnest question emerged from her. “What about the Refuge? Is it going to stay as it is?”

“Yeah,” Muta nodded. “It’ll stay just the way you remember it, Chicky. Old Chicken Wings won’t change a thing. That is if he knows what’s good for him.”

Haru smiled. “Thanks Muta.”

“Well, at least she didn’t call me ‘fatso’,” the fat cat mused. “So, I take it we’re next to go, Lune?”

The monarch nodded as he looked at Humbert. “You have my unending gratitude, Baron.”

The former Creation smiled and nodded as he embraced the king. “I will admit that I am only grateful that this is over and that I can look to my future and know that it can move forward unchanged.”

Lune nodded and pointed to the same portal Steven, Aberdeen, and Minka had disappeared through only moments before. “The portal will now take you back to Tokyo.”

Muta started up the stairs as Haru backed away from Humbert to bow gratefully to the king. “Good-bye Lune, please give Yuki our love.” She straightened out and reached for Humbert’s hand.

Lune nodded, but watched as the remainder of his visitors began to climb the spiral staircase.

Once they had disappeared, he walked over to the edge where Ian had fallen. Looking down, he sighed as he turned away from the spectacle to speak with his trusted advisor who was still present. “Chorney?”

“Yes, Sire,” the black cat said with a nod.

“Would you please have someone remove Ian’s body from the base of the tower and prepare it for burial?” Lune asked.

“Why would you wish to give one such as this a proper burial, Your Majesty?”

“Although Ian and my father were instrumental in all of these circumstances, he does not deserve an improper burial.” He paused as he cleared his throat and attempted to elaborate. “If not for that misuse of magic, I would never have ended up as happy as I am now. Baron Humbert von Gikkingen had come to rescue Haru from being forced into a marriage with me. If there had been no magic we would have been forced to wed and that would have made no one happy.”

“Yes, but that is you and Haru, why would this affect the good Baron?” Chorney asked.

“If Baron had not been spelled, then he would never have come here at all. Perhaps he knew deep down inside that the spell had been a blessing in disguise. He carried a reason to be grateful because Ian had indirectly brought Haru Yoshioka into his life. That logic alone meant that Baron could never have killed his brother. So, perhaps in all of this, there does remain a small sense of gratitude that we must bestow upon Ian von Gikkingen.”

“I never thought of it that way, Sire,” Chorney said with an affirming nod. _Lune is indeed a wise and just ruler,_ he thought as he offered a humble bow. “You can count on me, Your Majesty.”

King Lune wordlessly nodded as he and the advisor made their way back in the direction of the castle.


	32. Coming Home

**Chapter 32: Coming Home**

Upon their return to England, Aberdeen bid Minka and Steven good-bye with the promise that he would try and stop by and see how they were doing later that week. As he sauntered off in the direction of the barn, the clouds rumbled in the distance as the remaining friends exchanged glances before heading back in the direction of the von Gikkingen manor.

Minka’s feet were already wet, but soon the steady stream of rain would cover the rest of her. It was then that the gray cat eventually consented to being carried. It was now early in the morning and in the distance, the sky was growing brighter. As they came closer to the estate, Steven could not help but take note of the fact that the place still looked cold and empty.

Reaching his grandparents’ property, he used his free hand to pull down on the handle of the heavy metal gate. As it creaked loudly, he calmly entered through it and made his way towards the house.

As he walked, he glanced down at the cat as she rested comfortably in his arms. “I know it probably sounds weird to you, but I’m really glad you’re here with me, Minka,” he whispered to her. “I was sort of scared to come back here all by myself. Eleanor is probably climbing the walls.”

Minka nodded. “I know. I have been wondering how you are going to tell her about what happened. I don’t think that she will believe you if you try and tell her the truth. I fear that she is going to ask you where you have been and what you have been doing. What ever will you tell her?”

The boy took a deep breath. “I don’t know, maybe that I was out all night looking for you. If I said anything else, then she would probably accuse me of lying.” He paused as sadness enveloped him and he continued speaking, his next words emerging in a sigh. “I’m such a waste.”

“No, you’re not, Steven,” Minka said. “You left home to find yourself and you did. Now, all you have to do is believe that what you discovered was good. You no longer have to prove anything to anyone; not to your grandparents, your uncle, or me. I think you’ve already done all that you could by having the courage to try.”

The boy nodded, but still not convinced, he reached the front door and was taken aback when it abruptly swung open and he was left staring up at Eleanor who was standing with her hands on her hips. She was staring down at them through worry filled and tired eyes. It was apparent that the housekeeper had been waiting all night for them to return.

Instead of initially speaking, she pulled the boy into her arms and held him tightly in her embrace. “Where on earth have you been?” She demanded. “I have been worried sick.” She backed away and took in the boy’s overall appearance. What she saw was a disheveled and rain soaked child holding her beloved pet protectively in his arms.

“I found her,” Steven managed to speak, but his voice held the enthusiasm of a deflated balloon. He wondered if Minka’s mistress would believe the story that he had concocted about spending the night outside in search of a cat.

Eleanor nodded with traces of disbelief in her eyes but reached over and pulled what looked to be a large towel off a small table. “Minka, of all the nights to run off, you pick the wettest one of the lot.” As she spoke, she unfolded the towel and made a makeshift hammock for her pet. “Here Steven, let’s wrap her up so she doesn’t catch her death.”

The boy nodded and carefully he placed the cat on the towel and watched as Eleanor lovingly wrapped the ends around the cat’s now shivering body. At that moment, Eleanor smiled slightly as a soft purr emerged from Minka. Of course, Steven did not hear the purring, instead, he heard a soft ‘Thank you’.

Instead of commenting, he closed the door, grabbed a second towel from off the nearby table, and started to follow the housekeeper through the foyer and down the hall in the direction of the kitchen. As he walked, he rubbed the towel through his wet hair.

~~~~~

After bringing Minka into the kitchen, Eleanor went over and pulled down two bowls, one filled with dry cat food, and the other with water.

“Shouldn’t you be giving her milk?” Steven asked nervously as he entered the kitchen.

“Kittens need milk, but adult cats shouldn’t be given it,” Eleanor explained. “It’s one of the first things the vet told me when Minka came to live here.”

Steven nodded but watched as Minka began to eat some of the dry food. Instead of asking another question, he sat down at the nearby table and stared idly down at the wooden surface. He half expected Eleanor to start talking to him there, but when she did not say anything, he raised his head. “I’m sorry if I made you worry.”

The housekeeper nodded in response, but reached over and rested one of her hands on his shoulder before her next words emerged. “Why don’t we leave Minka alone and go in the other room to talk?”

The boy offered a slight nod and slowly got to his feet and started to follow her out of the room. He cast a glance back towards Minka who had raised her head only a fraction to offer an encouraging nod.

Wordlessly, he walked with her down the hall and into the drawing room. As he came inside, his attention immediately came to rest on the candle that was still burning in the windowsill. Instead of seating himself at the small table with Eleanor, he approached the object and stared sadly at it.

It was at that moment that Eleanor had stood up, and walked over to where he was standing. “Steven?” She spoke his name as she rested both her hands on his shoulders.

The boy turned around and looked up at her. The tears were now freely streaming from beneath his eyes as he began to wipe one of his hands haphazardly over his face.

“It’s okay to cry,” the housekeeper said gently. “It’s been that way around here for the last five years. One cannot always be strong, sweetheart. Sometimes you have to have the courage to express the feelings that depict when you are feeling the weakest.”

“Maybe,” the boy mused as he lowered his head and stared down at the ground. “But, m-my father never did. He always told me that I was stupid to cry.”

Eleanor nodded. “I know, Dear Heart.”

“Y-you do? B-but how?”

“Do you think that I never noticed what was happening in this house?” She asked. Before he could respond, she shook her head adamantly. “I knew everything that was going on, but it was never my place to say what I knew.”

“Did you know about Uncle Humbert being alive?” Steven whispered.

“No, I didn’t know about that, but I always suspected that your father knew specifically why your uncle had disappeared. No one had proof, but there was that sort of permeating feeling that had enveloped the entire household. Do you remember when I told you that everyone in the house believed that Humbert was alive?”

The boy nodded. “He is alive,” he whispered.

Eleanor nodded but instead of responding to the boy’s words, she took a deep breath as she ran her hands down the front of her dress and extracted a small white colored envelope. “I found this message after you left. I initially thought that maybe you had found it yourself and was using it as rationale to go after your father to stop him.”

“What is it?” Steven asked.

Eleanor handed the piece of paper to the boy and watched as he unfolded it. He immediately recognized his father’s uneven handwriting.  
~~~~~  
 _Dear Mother and Father,_

_By the time you return to the manor, I will be gone. I know that I have never been the son that you wanted and no matter what Humbert’s fate may have been, I know that I am not needed in this world any longer, so I bid you farewell._

_Do not grieve for me, but do take care of Steven in my absence. Teach him to be the man that I never was._

_Love,  
Your son,  
Ian von Gikkingen _  
~~~~~  
As he stared at the familiar script that drifted across the small slip of paper, Steven felt a lump catching in his throat. “How could he write this if he never cared for me?” The boy whispered as he handed the note back to the housekeeper.

“I don’t know, Steven, but a lot of people do things like this when they feel as though they have no other options. One of the things I have noticed about your father is that he never really understood his own inherent importance.”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you ever hear the story of the Prodigal son?” Eleanor asked. When Steven shook his head, she continued speaking. “In the story there were two sons, just as your grandparents have two sons. One day, the younger of the two sons took his inheritance and left home, similar to what happened with Humbert.”

“But, he didn’t leave willingly,” Steven whispered. “My father sent him away.”

“I know he did, but the idea is still the same. As time passed, and the father waited for the younger son to return home, the older one grew resentful. Later, when the young son did actually return home, the father rushed out to greet him and there was a great celebration. The older son became angry and asked the father ‘why are you doing this for him when he ran away and abandoned the family?’ The father looked at his son and said ‘all that I have is yours’.” Eleanor said as she pointed to the candle that flickered away in the windowsill. “The candle is your grandparents’ way of saying ‘Humbert, we are waiting for you to come home’.”

“Why would they do that?” Steven asked. “I mean; my father said that Uncle Humbert was dead.”

“He did, but your grandfather never believed it.”

“Why not?”

“Because, your father’s words were encased in bitterness and jealousy, and I believe that it was those two emotions that caused Ian to believe that he was unloved. When your father began to realize his mistakes, then he found the courage to write his true feelings in this message.” She touched the note that was once again in the pocket of her dress.

As the tears brimmed from beneath the boy’s eyes, it was clear that his thoughts were practically reeling. _How could my father have written that message if he was the one who had tried to kill me back in the Cat Kingdom? Does this mean that he did care about me after all? Maybe he really did know what was going to happen after he had left._

Sighing, the boy looked down at his hands as his thoughts continued to drift. He had not gone into his father’s room before he left, so maybe Ian could have written the message after all. A strange feeling of relief washed over him as he returned his attention to the words the housekeeper was saying.

“I recall many times when I would wander through the halls and corridors here and overhear your father saying that your grandfather was ‘foolish, stupid old man’. He never said it directly, but I think Ian believed that if the roles had been switched, that Baron von Gikkingen would not have felt the very same way about him as he did about Humbert.”

“So instead of saying it, he wrote it down?” Steven whispered.

Eleanor nodded. “Yes, I believe wholeheartedly that your father wanted to be loved, Steven, but instead of giving others a reason to love him; he began to believe that the only way he could attain that love would be if Humbert was no longer here.”

“So, he devised this whole thing just to make my grandparents love him?” Steven asked.

Eleanor nodded. “He didn’t anticipate that your grandparents held so much love in their heart to wait for their son to return, but that’s what love does; it waits. They could not let go of the idea that somewhere out there, your uncle was alright and that he would one day find his way back home. The letter was your father’s last attempt to attain what his heart was yearning for…the love of his family.”

“He ruined everything,” Steven whispered.

“Perhaps not,” Eleanor whispered as she took the boy in her arms. “Maybe one day, Ian will come back.”

“No, he won’t,” Steven whispered as he lowered his head. “He’s gone for good.”

“What makes you so sure of that?” She asked as she released her hold on him.

Steven shrugged his shoulders as he backed away from her and walked over to the candle. “It’s just a feeling I have,” he said softly.

Without another word, he turned back around and quietly left the room.


	33. Surprises

**Chapter 33: Surprises**

Two days after their return to Tokyo, Humbert and Haru arrived at the airport just as the plane from London was landing in the large metropolitan city. They got out of the cab, paid the faire, and walked towards the doors leading inside.

As they entered the large terminal building, they made their way over to the timetable. After consulting it, they headed to the glass covered door that acted as a partition between the waiting public and the disembarking passengers.

Reaching the reception area, Haru led him over to a group of chairs and lowered herself into one. Once he had seated himself next to her, she turned her attention away for a moment to check to see if the doors had actually opened. When they eventually did, a steady trickle of people emerged, but none of them looked the part of an aristocratic British family. In fact, from the look of things, most of the passengers looked to be of Asian heritage and this indicated that they would have to wait a bit longer.

After some moments had passed, she turned around to see that he was staring off in the distance. “Baron?”

He turned back around. “Yes?”

“Are you alright?” She asked. “I mean; you look a little bit ‘lost in space’.”

“I must confess I’m worried,” he admitted sadly. “These past few days have been hectic, but strangely, they’ve been a welcomed distraction for what is about to happen here today.”

Haru nodded as she remembered all the things they had been through since returning from their adventure. The email from Steven informing them of a ‘suicide note’ from Ian left both of them feeling rather apprehensive about everything that had transpired. Humbert reached the unhappy conclusion that aside from the note offering a sense of healing for his aggrieved nephew; it would also serve to answer the questions that his parents would no doubt raise about Ian no longer being present.

It was clear that nothing had prepared them for the news that had come from England the day after their return from the Kingdom of Cats. All the same, Haru found herself having serious doubts about the authenticity of Ian’s message. She wanted to believe that Ian had discovered his conscience, but amid all the bitterness and hate that had consumed him, she was doubtful that anything but an empty shell had remained.

This did not alleviate the guilt and remorse that Humbert still carried. In fact, he came to the realization that all that was left for him to do was to begin reclaiming his life. This process was started by going to the British Consulate and applying for a new passport. Through it, he had to prove to the officials that he was who he claimed to be and try to give them an adequate reason as to why he was in Tokyo without any feasible form of identification.

Although Humbert had been dead set against lying, he realized that he would have to make up some story and stand by it in order to obtain the needed documentation. After answering a series of strenuous questions, the worker at the British Consulate finally resorted to a more technological means in which to find adequate proof that Humbert von Gikkingen was who he claimed to be.

After undergoing several medical tests as well having blood taken, the results had come back saying that he was telling the truth. Once they had all the proof that they needed, the woman at the consulate processed his application and informed him that he could pick up his new passport in two weeks.

Haru would never forget what all that entailed, but she was grateful that it was now behind them.

As her thoughts continued to drift, she looked back over at him and noticed that he had sunk into his own contemplations. Silently, she reached for his hand and felt relief overwhelm her when he accepted it and began to lovingly stroke it. “You’re still nervous, aren’t you?”

He nodded. “Yes, I am. I don’t know what I’m going to say to them.”

“But, they’re your family and no matter what happens, I think they’ll just be so happy to see you,” she whispered.

“You don’t know them, Love,” he said softly. “You’ve only spoken to my father on the phone. How can we know that they will be the same people that I remember or that you expect?”

“But, I know you, and after reading those letters, I know you come from a wonderful family,” she responded sincerely.

“Yes, but so did Ian,” he mused sadly. “He came from the very same family, and yet he still did all the things that he did.”

“Maybe he took for granted the things that he had,” she said. “It sometimes happens even in the best of families.”

“You’re right, Haru, but it’s still going to take some time for me to get over this,” he said, his shoulders sagging somewhat. “I don’t know if my family can forgive me for what happened to Ian when I can’t even forgive myself. Maybe I was being selfish because I didn’t want to forget you.”

“But, you remember the email Steven sent. He said that your housekeeper found the note after Ian had left,” Haru reasoned. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Humbert shook his head sadly. “I honestly didn’t want to have my brother’s blood on my hands.”

Haru took a deep breath as she regarded him through loving eyes. “You don’t,” she whispered. “You didn’t kill him, Humbert. I saw what happened, and so did Lune, Minka, Muta and Aberdeen. Ian was going to push you and Steven over the side. Logic was the furthest thing from your brother’s mind. He was trying to coerce his son to sacrifice his life for the sake of some twisted idea.”

“I know,” he whispered. “And through it all, I was trying only to protect you and Steven.”

“And you did,” she responded in kind. “But, you have to let go. People like Ian who suffer from madness aren’t going to be logical about anything. It doesn’t matter how much you want it, he was the one who decided to do all of this; not you. It wasn’t your fault; you were just being a noble and loving person. Don’t you see that?”

In lieu of an immediate response, Humbert closed his eyes and lowered his head. “I’m the oldest, Haru. I was supposed to protect my little brother.”

Haru shook her head. “Do you think he thought of things that way? I mean; all that he wanted to do was manipulate things. He wanted you dead. He was going to keep pushing and pushing until either you or he had died. You can’t protect another person who does that kind of stuff, even if it is your brother. All you could do was to try and defend yourself and the ones you love.”

“You’re very wise,” he whispered.

Haru smiled weakly. “I’m only remembering the time soon after my father left. It was several months before I turned seven. When he walked out, I started to wonder about why it was he had left my family broken. Once he was gone, my mother tried to remind me that it wasn’t me that caused him to leave, it was his choice. As I got older, I realized that she was right and I wasn’t at fault for the things that he did. He did what he did because he had no idea about what it meant to be a father to me or a husband to my mother. Maybe Ian was the same, Baron. Maybe he just didn’t know how to accept or deal with the responsibilities he had to your family.”

Humbert leaned over and pressed both of her hands between his. “Ian was my brother,” he whispered. “Even though he hated me, I suppose I was still trying to protect him.”

“I know, but sometimes you can’t protect someone if they don’t want to be protected,” she said softly. “I watched you when we were there and you were trying the whole time to protect Steven and me.” As she spoke, she cast a glance down at her arm where a small scratch mark was still visible.

“I have to tell my parents the truth about what happened,” Humbert said. “Haru, I don’t know if I can.”

As these words emerged, the siding doors began to open and the passengers began to emerge from the belly of the neighboring building. As they did, she smiled up at him. “I promise to stand by you and that this won’t be as hard as applying for a new passport.” She paused as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I promise.”

Backing up, she smiled up at him. “Besides, if your family wasn’t as wonderful as you described, then they never have traveled halfway around the world just to find you.”

~~~~~

Coming through Customs proved easier than anticipated for Michael, Rose, Heinrich, and Madeline. During the flight, Madeline had slept snugly in Rose’s arms while Michael and Heinrich were given the opportunity to talk. The friendship between the two had flourished during the thirteen hour flight and both men were laughing heartedly as they waited in line to go through the passport control.

Although Madeline had gotten adequate sleep, the little girl was still tired and she found herself yawning as she continued to rub her eyes.

“Madeline, are you still tired, Honey?” Rose finally asked.

The little girl offered a slight nod as Michael looked at his friend. “She’s lucky, she could sleep. I ended up watching that new ‘Karate Kid’ movie twice.”

Heinrich nodded but started to lean down to pick up the little girl.

“Let me,” Michael said. “You’ve got your back to worry about.”

Once Heinrich had nodded, the baron picked up the little girl. “She’s lighter than my suitcase.”

“That’s surprising, especially considering all the junk you travel with,” Rose said with a quirky smile. Her eyes were bright as she regarded her husband.

Heinrich began to chuckle as the line began to move. He watched as Michael carried the sleeping child along and after a few moments, he turned back around and looked at Rose. “No matter what happens, I’m extremely grateful to you both for what you have done.”

“What did we do, Heinrich?” Rose asked smiling.

“You and Michael gave me a reason to smile again,” the old man said happily. “When we left the manor, I was accompanying my employers on a journey that I was not certain about. Now that we’ve landed in Tokyo, I realize that I’m no longer here with my bosses, I’m here with my friends.”

Rose reached over and touched his wrinkled hand. “I’m so glad. Does that mean that I will never hear you call me ‘baroness’ or ‘Milady’ again?”

The older man smiled. “You’ll only hear that when my supervisors from the agency are lurking about. I am so grateful that Michael waited for me to come around, though.” His expression grew suddenly earnest. “Do you think we will find Humbert here?”

“I hope so,” she said. “Then everything will be complete.”

Heinrich nodded. “Indeed it will.”

~~~~~

Time slowly ticked by for Haru and Humbert as they waited. The doors slid open and closed as if by clockwork, but the family did not emerge, and as time progressed, Humbert wondered if they would ever come out.

About an hour after the plane had landed, Humbert decided to go and get them something to eat. He was determined to wait for as long as it took, but because they were getting hungry, it was decided that he would go and scout about for some lunch and Haru would wait.

About five minutes after Humbert had gone off, the door opened and Haru immediately recognized the noble couple as they emerged. Taking a deep breath, she started towards them, her soft brown eyes meeting the green eyes of Humbert’s father. She had recognized him from the picture Steven had sent, but nothing prepared her for the distinguished gentleman who was now walking towards her.

She raised her head and brushed some of the dark hair out from in front of her eyes. “Michael?” She spoke as she reached them and offered a customary bow. “My name is Yoshioka Haru.”

“Hello, Haru; this is my wife Rose, my friend Heinrich, and this little sleeping beauty is his granddaughter Madeline.”

“Welcome to Tokyo everyone,” she began. “I have a friend who was waiting with me and he should be along in a few minutes, he had gone to get us something to eat. I wasn’t sure how long we would have to wait and since it’s lunchtime.”

“Perhaps we ought to get something for ourselves, too,” Michael said as Madeline opened her eyes. “Are you hungry little princess?”

Madeline nodded as Michael lowered her to the ground. “Then let’s go get something to eat.” He turned and looked at Haru. “Do you know where your friend went?”

“He has a fondness for sushi,” she said. “I told him that there’s a restaurant not too far away from here, but it’s probably busy right now.”

Michael nodded. “Lead the way.”

Haru nodded and started to lead them through the busy airport. “How was your flight?”

“Long,” Michael said. “But, it was nice.”

After several moments, they reached the restaurant and Haru immediately spotted Humbert who was waiting in one of the lines. Smiling secretly, she turned and looked at Michael. “I know that this may come as a real shock to you, but I found your son. He’s here.”

“Here as in Tokyo?” Michael asked.

“No, he’s the friend who went to get sushi,” Haru said. “After you had left home, I sent an email to your address asking for a picture of your son. I was afraid that while I was searching that I might accidentally have mistaken a stranger for him. Anyway, your grandson, Steven, wrote me back and sent me several pictures. He was the one who really helped me to find Humbert.”

“Steven did that?” Rose asked.

“Yes, he did, and it was through the pictures he sent that I was able to recognize you as well as find Bar…I mean; Humbert. Anyway, he’s waiting in line over there.”

Michael looked at her. “You’re serious?”

“Yes, I wouldn’t lie to you about something that important,” she said. “The truth is, he’s very nervous about this meeting. He’s afraid that you’re going to be mad at him.”

“But, we’re not,” Michael said softly. “We just want to see our son.”

Rose nodded. “We’re grateful to you for finding him, Haru.”

The young woman smiled and nodded. “Okay, if you give me a minute, maybe we can surprise him.” She turned away for a moment and looked at Heinrich. “Could you keep an eye on the luggage, sir?”

Heinrich nodded. “Of course, Ma’am.”

With Michael and Rose in tow, Haru started to make her way over towards the line. As they were walking, Michael looked at his wife. “I didn’t anticipate Steven actually helping us.”

“Nor did I, but I’m so glad that he did,” she said.


	34. The Circle Closes

**Chapter 34: The Circle Closes**

Moments later, Haru had calmly approached the two businessmen who were conveniently behind Humbert in the line. Instead of speaking to him, she began to whisper to the two men in her native language. “I know that this may seem a bit odd to you, but would you mind terribly if my friends got in the line in front of you for just a minute? Their son is right in front of you and they haven’t seen him in a very long time.”

The two men graciously nodded and smiled as Haru motioned towards Michael and Rose to enter the line. “The rest is up to you,” she whispered to them. She then backed several steps away from the line and went over to stand with Heinrich and Madeline.

Once alone, Michael swallowed nervously as he exchanged anxious glances with his wife. He could not see the eyes of the man in front of him and was completely uncertain as to whether or not this individual was who Haru claimed him to be. Instead of hesitating, he reached out and lightly tapped the shoulder of the man.

“Humbert?” He spoke the name, his single word emerging softer than anticipated.

Time seemed to stand still as the man who had been addressed slowly turned around. His green eyes widened and tears abruptly filled them as he regarded the couple who was now standing behind him. “Mum? Dad?”

Rose nodded as she suddenly felt her son’s arms winding around her and holding tightly. “It is you,” she whispered as she buried her face against his shoulder. The tears that had been held back suddenly fell from beneath her eyes as she began to weep softly in his arms.

For his part, Michael waited for the embrace between his wife and son to loosen before reaching for his wife and son’s hands in order to lead them away. Casting a final glance towards the two men, the family exited the line and made their way out of the restaurant.

Outside, he was finally able to look into the eyes of his son for the first time in five long years. “My God, Humbert, I can’t believe you’re actually here.”

The younger man took a deep breath as he looked into baron’s aged eyes. Seconds later he felt himself spontaneously being pulled into his father’s hold, his face pressing up against Michael’s chest. As he felt his father’s hands brushing through his hair, his defenses broke and he began to cry in earnest.

After some moments had passed, the embrace had loosened and Rose reached over and with both hands; she cupped the face of the younger man and tipped it so that he was looking directly at her. “You’re just as I remember,” she whispered as she used her fingertips to brush through his tawny hair as well as wipe away the moisture that was falling from beneath his eyes. After some moments, she realized that it was impossible since the tears would not cease.

“I’m so sorry, Mum,” he whispered. “I never meant to hurt you or Dad.”

“We know that, son,” Michael said as he reached over and rested his hand on Humbert’s shoulder. “Is there anything you can tell us about why you left and where you went? Was it something we did?”

He sadly shook his head. “No, it wasn’t your fault, Dad.”

After some moments had passed, he took a deep breath and glanced over towards Haru. She was still standing with Heinrich and Madeline and it was abundantly clear that they were all three giving them the privacy that they needed to reunite as a family. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Rose did.

“Don’t try to answer anymore questions, sweetheart. There will be plenty of time for that,” she said gently. “Right now; I think we need to get out of this airport and into a more private setting. That way we can have a chance to really talk this all out.” As if to emphasize her point, she motioned towards the restaurants that lined the perimeters of the large open space. “Besides, they really don’t need dinner _and_ a show.”

Humbert and Michael smiled weakly, but nodded in agreement as Rose waved Heinrich, Madeline, and Haru over to them. Once they had approached, she continued speaking, her next words directed towards Haru. “Could you please direct us to our hotel, my dear?”

“I don’t think you want to go to a hotel right now,” Haru said softly. “Maybe instead, we could just go to my house and I can make everyone some lunch.”

Gratefully, Humbert nodded as he wiped his hand over his face and tried to conceal the tears from her. “That would be nicer than some cold and distant hotel room.”

When Michael and Rose nodded in agreement, Haru took a deep breath and spoke, her voice emerging weak, but still filled with determination. “We have to go outside to get a cab, but later I can show you how to get to the hotel.”

“That would be very nice, Haru,” Michael offered. “Thank you.”

The young woman nodded and without another word, she started to lead them in the direction of the taxi stand.

~~~~~~

As Haru walked alongside Heinrich and Madeline, Humbert and his parents lagged several meters behind. As they walked Michael looked at his son before motioning towards Haru’s back. “She’s a very special young lady, isn’t she?”

“To be honest, I don’t know what I would have done without her,” Humbert said. “She was the one who kept the faith and convinced me that everything would work out, even when I wasn’t so certain. Regardless of what was happening, she faced it with all the courage and bravery that exists.”

“Did you at least tell her that?” Rose asked gently.

“Yes I did, Mum, but it still makes everything so complicated,” he responded. “The thing is; I would love to stay here with her until she finishes school. Then perhaps I could bring her with me to England and court her properly. I just don’t know what Naoko would say to my taking her daughter away.”

“If Haru is eighteen, then that will be her choice to make,” Michael responded. “You cannot decide for her or her mother.”

“I know, but still, deep down inside, I just don’t know what to do. I know that my place is at home; with you. I also realize that I wasted a lot of time being away so long.”

“It wasn’t you, Humbert, it never was,” Rose said softly.

“How can you say that, Mum? I was gone for five years without so much as a word or anything,” he whispered guiltily.

“We do understand, perhaps better than you realize at the moment,” Michael said softly. “Perhaps, you ought to consider taking the time to figure out what specifically your heart is telling you.”

Humbert nodded numbly, but instead of speaking, he tried to swallow the incessant lump that had formed in the back of his throat.

~~~~~

At the same time, Haru was leading the way with Madeline and Heinrich at her heels. A strange feeling of sadness had suddenly enveloped the young woman as she was walking.

Heinrich noticed this, and instead of remaining silent, he spoke. “Milady, are you not well?” He asked, his voice etched in politeness.

“If you please, my name is Haru,” she responded.

“Alright, Haru, are you alright?”

The young woman shook her head. “I honestly don’t know.”

Heinrich nodded understandably before reaching over and resting his hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “Are you questioning what has happened with Humbert and his parents?”

“No, I’m not,” she said as she shook her head sadly. “I just don’t want anyone to worry about me.”

“Yet, that’s precisely what friends do,” he said. “They worry.”

She smiled slightly. “I know, but I just have so much on my mind right now and it all seems so petty.”

“I don’t think it is, but I think you must know that you have proven yourself to be a very dear and valued friend to that family. I am certain that both Rose and Michael are very grateful to you for all that you have done.”

“I don’t want their gratitude…” she whispered as her voice trailed off. Despite her not wanting to, she could feel the tears as they caught beneath her eyes.

“…No,” Heinrich interrupted. “You merely want their son.”

In lieu of a response, she offered a bashful nod. She then closed her eyes to feel the stinging sensation caused by the tears as they escaped from beneath her eyelids.

After some moments had passed, she opened her eyes before turning around to make certain that the von Gikkingen family was still behind them. Seeing that they were, she released an unhappy sigh as her steps slowed somewhat.

Seeing this, Heinrich spoke, his soft voice causing her shift her attention away from the family and back over towards him.

“You love him, do you not?” He asked.

“With all my heart,” she whispered as she wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Why are you sad, then?” He asked.

“Because…I just am,” she whispered. “When I see them together, I realize that as soon as he gets his passport in two weeks, he’ll be leaving; and I…I’ll be alone.”

“You’re afraid that now that he’s back with his family, there is no room in his life for you. Is that it?” The old man asked wisely.

Haru shamefully lowered her gaze, but nodded. “He has so much to catch up on with them. It would be selfish of me to try and hang onto him so soon after everything that’s happened.”

“Maybe that’s what he wants,” Madeline said innocently. “Maybe he needs more than just his mum and dad; maybe he needs you, too.”

Haru shrugged her shoulders at the small child’s logic. “There’s a little voice inside of me that says you’re right, Madeline,” she said bravely. “The problem is, Humbert told me that he was nervous about this reunion. The strange thing is; I was too, I just didn’t want to admit it.”

Heinrich nodded. “It shows.”

“It does?” She whispered.

“Yes, and I think that what you need to do is be present when Humbert and his parents speak later.”

“I don’t know if that would be right,” she whispered as they had reached the doors that led outside. From there, Haru approached a waiting cab. Moments later, the men began to load the luggage into the trunk of the car while the two women and little girl quietly squeezed into the backseat.

~~~~~

Twenty minutes later they arrived at the Yoshioka house and upon paying the faire, they all got out.

Inside the house, her five guests seated themselves in the living room and she excused herself and went into the adjoining kitchen. There, she began to prepare something for all of them to eat.

Back in the living room, Michael began to speak. “There is so much that I want to tell you that I don’t really know where to start.”

“Then let me,” Humbert whispered. “Dad, I’m so sorry about what happened.”

“It wasn’t you,” Rose interjected. “It was Ian.”

Michael nodded in concurrence to his wife’s words. “It’s true, we discovered a great deal about Ian and his motives during the past week. That’s why we came here in the first place. The truth is, I didn’t mention it back at the airport because I didn’t want everyone to think our motivation for coming here was crazy. But, Madeline discovered something that convinced us that maybe we ought to at least try.”

Humbert looked at the little girl. “What did you discover?”

“He told Steven that he sent you away and was telling everyone you had gone to heaven,” the child whispered. “Everyone was very sad because you were gone, but Ian wasn’t. He told Steven that he wanted you…” her voice broke and instead of continuing to speak, she buried her face against her grandfather’s chest.

In response to that, Heinrich took her in his arms and held her tightly. As opposed to forcing her to continue speaking, the kindly butler leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

In response to this, Humbert took a deep breath and spoke. “I know what Ian wanted; he wanted to inherit the noble title, and figured that if he got rid of me, he’d get by default. Before I…left, I wrote about this in my letters to Haru’s mother.”

As he was speaking, Haru came out of the kitchen with a platter of crackers, assorted cheeses, and salad. Placing it on the table, she walked slowly over to where Humbert was seated. Reaching him, she watched as he extended his hand to her and waited for her to seat herself next to him.

Once she did, Michael looked at them. “You both care very deeply for each other, don’t you?”

Haru nodded shyly and she unconsciously tightened her hold on Humbert’s hand.

“You don’t wish for him to go away, do you?” He asked.

“It’s selfish,” Haru whispered. “Especially in the wake of what happened to Ian.”

“What happened to him?” Michael asked softly.

Humbert reached over and retrieved the printout that was on the coffee table. “Ian’s dead, Dad. Steven sent us this email two days ago with a suicide note attached.”

“Suicide,” Rose whispered. “Are you certain?”

Humbert nodded. “After Haru found me, we returned here and there was a message from Steven saying that Ian had left a note at the manor. I wasn’t sure how you were going to react. You’ve already been through so much and now this.” He extended the piece of paper to his father.

Michael accepted it and began to read the message that Steven had sent to them. As the word ‘suicide’ washed over him, he closed his eyes. “Everything is becoming clearer to me,” he whispered. “But, I always knew that Ian wasn’t happy.” He returned the note to the table. “He was consumed in bitterness and hate and none of us really knew what his intentions were.”

Humbert reached for his father’s hand. “I knew,” he said softly. “I suspected it before I went away.”

Michael took a deep breath. “I don’t blame you for what happened to your brother, Humbert, I blame myself. I always believed that you were the good son, and that Ian was not. He was always getting into trouble and it became difficult for any of us to understand what was going on with him. I guess this was his cry for love.”

“But Michael, we did love Ian,” Rose whispered as she took a deep breath. “We just didn’t show it in the same way.” She took a deep breath as she tried to collect her thoughts. “After you left, Ian insisted that you were dead and he became angry when we couldn’t bring ourselves to believe that. He thought we were all crazy because we waited and waited for you to return. During that time, your father lit a candle and placed it in the drawing room window. It stayed lit all these years and I think it had something to do with that song that you shared with him on his birthday.”

Humbert nodded as he softly began to recite the words. “I’ll be your candle on the water…

“...My love for you will always burn,” Michael continued the lyric with a nod of his head.

Upon hearing this, Haru lowered her head. _I have to let him go, she thought, it would be selfish of me to expect him to stay._

Without thinking about what she was doing, she started to stand up. What she did not expect was to feel a hand reaching out and grabbing her arm gently, but firmly. When she opened her eyes and turned around, she noticed that instead of Humbert keeping her from leaving; it was Michael who had reached out to her.

“…We’ll never let you go.” He whispered one of the lines from the song as he stood up and reached for her other hand. This she offered freely as his next words filled her ears. “You are family now, Haru, and you are the most selfless person I have ever encountered.” He smiled gently at her. “We don’t expect anything from you except that whatever you choose, you’re happy in that decision. That means, when we leave Tokyo to return home, we’ll continue to wait for you both to come back to England.”

“Both? You mean; you don’t expect him to come back with you?” Haru whispered.

“No, we don’t,” Michael said softly. “We came here with the expectation of finding our son, and we did. You and he must now make your own choices.”

Haru nodded as she looked at Humbert. “I do want to come back with you, but I have to at least finish school first.”

“Then we will wait until you have,” Humbert said gently. When she looked around the room, relief washed over her when she saw that everyone was in agreement.


	35. Epilogue

**Epilogue:  
Three Months Later**

The London bound plane lifted off the ground and Haru turned in her seat and looked at Humbert, who was seated next to her.

“How long did your father say the flight was?” She asked.

“Between thirteen and fourteen hours,” he said.

“It’s hard to believe that this is happening,” she said. “Two days ago I was graduating from school, and now I’m on my way to England. It’s strange how everything turned out.”

“I know what you mean,” he said with a nod of his head. “Muta and Toto are now running the Bureau, or in this case arguing about which of them has more clout within the Bureau.” As he finished speaking, a soft chuckle emerged.

“It must be strange for you to no longer be doing that,” she said.

“No stranger than having you seated here beside me,” he said smiling. “But, don’t worry; Muta and Toto are still good friends. Even though they argue a lot; they are responsible enough to know when they need to get back to work.”

“Do you think we could one day go back and see them?” Haru asked.

“Well, there’s a portal not too far away from the manor and Aberdeen knows where it is,” he said. “I’m sure that he and Minka would be quite happy to return to the Refuge, if for no other reason but to indulge on sushi with Muta.”

Haru smiled. “Aberdeen and Muta could have set some eating records.”

Humbert nodded as he glanced towards the window.

“What’s the matter?” Haru asked after several minutes of silence.

“I spoke to my father the night before they flew home,” Humbert said softly. “He told me that he knew about what had happened and was aware that I had lived the last five years as a Creation.”

“He knew?” She asked.

“I was quite surprised when he mentioned it, but yes he did,” Humbert responded. “I wondered how that happened. He said that Minka had ‘told’ Madeline that she had overheard Ian and Steven talking about it.”

“Oh yes, I do remember hearing Madeline say that she could talk to cats,” Haru said.

Humbert nodded. “Yes, she can. My father said that’s why he brought her along, but Mum said that it was because of Ian’s treatment towards her. I suppose they didn’t want to leave her there while they were away. They feared that she might have gotten abused.”

“It’s hard to believe,” Haru said softly. “I couldn’t help but feel surprised by all the things that happened. I guess the strangest thing was that you and my mother were once pen friends.”

“Yes, and perhaps we should be grateful for that. After all those years of writing letters to each other, your mother and I became friends,” he said softly. “If that hadn’t have happened, I’m not exactly sure what she would have thought about my staying at your house while you finished school.”

“Well, you were living in the guest room, Baron, she couldn’t really object to that. Besides, you were her friend long before we met and it stands to reason that when a friend shows up like this, that it is customary to offer adequate accommodations,” Haru said earnestly. “Besides, she can’t argue against us since we behaved ourselves even when she wasn’t around.”

He nodded and smiled. “Yes, and I do think that she liked the idea of my being present when she was away on business. Maybe she was relieved when I told her that although I planned to court you, there would be no immediate plans for a wedding.”

Haru returned his smile. “I think my mother liked the idea of us being together. Most of the boys from school, she couldn’t fathom my starting a relationship with them.”

“I must admit that I too am relieved,” he responded.

“I figured you’d be,” she said as she took a deep breath and continued. “You know, for many years, your letters gave my mother comfort after my father walked out on us. She told me that when she was packing for her last trip how grateful she was that I had you in my life. I guess it was partially because she didn’t want to end up feeling guilty about taking this new job. She knew that she would not be at home all that much and was concerned about what I would do in her absence.”

Humbert nodded. “Your mother has made many sacrifices through the years.”

“I know, that’s why I don’t hold it against her for going after the job of her dreams.” She paused as her next question emerged. “Do you remember the night she told us about it?”

“Yes, she could hardly contain herself.”

Haru smiled. “She was so excited about the idea of traveling all around the country in order to conduct quilting seminars. I didn’t even know that such a job existed. I always thought that when I had to pick a career, that it had to be something dull and boring. I had no idea that I could pick something exciting and fun.”

“That’s why I picked architecture, I enjoyed designing and creating new things,” he said. “I am hopeful that I can take up where I left off in my studies, though. My father contacted the university and they seem to be okay with it.”

“What do they think happened to you?” Haru asked softly.

“I don’t know, but I didn’t ask,” he said shrugging his shoulders. “I figure they will ask and then I’ll have to offer some sort of explanation.

At that moment, silence engulfed them and Haru felt herself leaning up against him. “I hope I can find a job I will love someday,” she whispered as she felt his hand stroking against her face.

“You will,” he said smiling.

“I wish I had your confidence, Baron,” she whispered as she closed her eyes. “I just can’t imagine living at your parents’ house and doing nothing.”

“Listen to me, Haru, I know for a fact that you will not be sitting idly by and doing nothing,” he said as he wrapped his arm around her. “You will find your way, just as you helped me to find mine.”

She smiled and closed her eyes. “I trust you, Baron,” she whispered. “I knew that when you saved my life the first time.”

He smiled as he too closed his eyes. The flight to England would be a long one, but he would enjoy her presence until the plane landed.

~~~~~

Fifteen hours later, Haru and Humbert had arrived at the von Gikkingen manor. The sky was a murky shade of gray as he pulled up in front of the house and cut the motor. “It looks like we’re just in time for tea,” he said as they were getting out of the car.

Once they had collected their belongings they went to the front door of the house and Humbert tapped lightly on it. “Do they even know that we’re coming?” Haru asked.

“No, I didn’t tell them, I wanted to surprise them,” Humbert said as the door opened and they found themselves looking at Heinrich.

The butler carried a momentarily stunned look on his face but then after a few seconds, he clapped his hands together happily when he saw them. “Oh my goodness, if I’d have known that you were arriving today, I would have planned a party for you.”

“Thankfully, we kept it a secret,” Humbert said smiling as he grasped the butler’s extended hand. Upon shaking it, he took in the older man’s casual choice of clothes. Gone was the pristine tuxedo that the man normally wore and in its place, was a casual shirt and beige colored trousers.

“Hello Haru,” he said. “You’re just in time to join the family for tea.”

“Sounds wonderful,” she said smiling. “Has Madeline arrived yet? You said that she would be here for summer holidays.”

“Yes, she arrived this morning,” he said. “Please come, we don’t want to keep anyone waiting.”

Haru nodded as she and Humbert began to follow Heinrich down the hallway in the direction of the drawing room. After several moments, they reached the door leading into room and Heinrich opened it.

“Who was at the door?” Michael asked.

Instead of immediately responding, the butler came over to the table and with an overemphasized smile, he spoke. “Michael, Rose, Steven, Madeline; may I present Humbert and Haru, who just arrived from Japan?”

The couple turned around and smiled brightly as Humbert and Haru came into the room.

As they walked over and embraced the couple, no one noticed that Steven had quietly stood up, got to his feet and walked the length of the room until he reached the window.

He stared at the candle that flickered away in the windowsill for several moments before taking a deep breath and blowing it out.


End file.
